Committed to a greener future, Orange has set ambitious goals to reduce its environmental and climate impact across its 17 markets in Africa and the Middle East. Various initiatives are underway to achieve these objectives.

Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) has converted 10,000 telecom sites and about 20 data centers to solar energy, the company said on Friday, as part of its strategy to bolster infrastructure resilience and maintain profitability.

For Jean-Michel Canto, Chief Climate Officer of OMEA, "Solarization is now a standard configuration for new sites, with an 11% increase in the number of solar sites each year."

In Liberia, where the electrification rate is 12%, the company has solarized 77% of its sites. Jabateh Dweh Charles, Power Manager Operations at Orange Liberia, said this reduced their carbon footprint and fuel consumption by 25% in 2023 compared to 2022.

OMEA's 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility report showed a more than 70% increase in renewable energy use compared to 2022, bringing the share to 32.8% of total energy consumption.

The company prioritizes site solarization and collaborates with energy partners (ESCO – Energy Service Company). In 2022, Alioune Ndiaye, Chairman of OMEA's Board of Directors, noted that solar energy supply saves up to 55 million liters of fuel annually.

These investments align with OMEA's "Lead the Future" and "Net Zero Carbon" by 2040 plans. The company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2025 and 45% by 2030.

Dorothée Vignalou, Chief Financial Officer of OMEA, said, "We have always placed environmental and energy issues at the heart of our regional strategy. Recent crises have strengthened our determination to ensure sustainable management while addressing local community challenges."