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2023 Review - All Eyes on Africa as Egypt Hosts Spectacular ACF
The COVID-delayed African Currency Forum (ACF) finally took place two years and a few months later than originally planned in Luxor, Egypt from 15-18 January, attracting 305 delegates from 46 countries, including 25 central banks and state printworks from Africa itself.
This Forum was hosted by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Printing House on behalf of the Association of African Banknote and Secure Document Printers (AABSDP), whose eight members are the government security printers of Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.
The attraction of the ACF is its unique mix of technical and industry presentations in plenary sessions, with a specific focus on developments across the African continent, combined with numerous social events where business and industry discussions continue in an informal and relaxed environment and friendships are established.
This ACF was no exception. The programme covered the latest developments in design, features, substrates and technology, whilst the social events took in visits to some of the unique historical monuments of Luxor, once the capital of ancient Egypt. A particular highlight was the opportunity to visit the recently completed Printing House and Cash Centre, situated in the New Administration City near Cairo.
The conference was opened by Eng Khaled Farouk, Sub Governor, CBE Printing House, and the scene was then set by a presentation from Currency News covering the developments in Africa since the last ACF (in September 2018 in Zimbabwe). Africa accounts for 35% of the world’s currencies and denominations (43 and 243 respectively). Over the course of the last four years, 30 out of the 43 currencies have seen at last one change, be it in the form of new series (11), upgrades and redesigns to one or more denominations (9), the replacement of notes with coin (3), new denominations (6), commemorative notes (3), switch of substrate from paper to polymer (5) or polymer to paper (2), and changes to coin design or composition (3).
The plenary sessions that followed covered secure technology and banknote developments, along with developments in diffractive technologies. That evening delegates dressed in traditional djellabas took boats to Amira Island in the Nile to enjoy Egyptian food and entertainment.
Banknote technology and machinery was the topic next morning followed, in the afternoon, by a tour guided coach ride to the West Bank to visit three tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens, and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, returning via a boat trip on the Nile to witness the sunset.
The final day’s plenary sessions included banknote trends towards sustainability, banknote printing in Africa and cash and CBDCs, and ended with a panel discussion on sustainability. The Gala Dinner which took place in Karnak Temple included an historical light and sound show, and a presentation by the world-renowned archaeologist and Egyptologist Dr Mostafa Waziri. An unforgettable night.
The majority of attendees arose very early next morning to board a charter flight which made history as the first commercial flight to land at the Administrative Capital City’s new airport. The visit to the CBE’s new Printing House and Cash Centre, a state of the art currency hub for the country, impressed all with the scale of its technology and automation.
The printworks houses four new printing, varnishing and numbering lines from Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions, each line capable of producing c. 1.2 billion banknotes a year (on a three shift / 24 hour basis), although as yet the machines are only running on a single shift basis. There is an identical print room to the one currently in use but providing space for expansion, so the eventual capacity could be around 9 billion banknotes a year.
The printworks is connected to the fully automated cash centre by a 290m tunnel. The cash centre has two vaults with a capacity of 1 billion notes, 12 high speed banknote sorters with a processing capacity of 20 million notes per day and banknote destruction and briquetting systems with a capacity of 0.7 tonnes per hour. 1.4 km of conveyor belts connect all the functional areas of the cash centre, including the 12 loading bays with a receiving capacity of 25 million notes per day, along with eight AGVs.
The €260 million project was awarded to Giesecke+Devrient and, starting in 2018, took four years to complete. Considering that construction took place in an area with limited infrastructure, in a city that at the time didn’t exist and, for much of the time, during the pandemic, the successful execution of the project was nothing short of remarkable.
The Forum ended with an appropriately named Celebration Dinner in reference to the printworks and cash centre. But delegates could be forgiven for thinking it was to celebrate the whole, impressive, never to be forgotten, event.
Th next ACF is due to be hosted by Sudan Currency Printing Press, who has taken over the chairmanship of the AABSDP from the CBE. The dates and location are to be confirmed.
ACF2023 Presentations
Our Attendees
Artazn
USA
Banca d’Italia
Italy
Banco de Moçambique
Mozambique
Bank Al-Maghrib
Morocco
Bank of Algeria – Hotel des Monnaies
Algeria
Bank of England
United Kingdom
Bank of Ghana
Ghana
Bank of Namibia
Namibia
Bank of Tanzania
Tanzania
Bank of Uganda
Uganda
Bank of Zambia
Zambia
Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest
Senegal
Banque de France
France
Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt
Germany
Bundesdruckerei GmbH
Germany
Canadian Bank Note (CBN)
Canada
CCL Secure
Australia
Central Bank of Congo
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Central Bank of Egypt
Egypt
Central Bank of Iraq
Iraq
Central Bank of Liberia
Liberia
Central Bank of Libya
Libya
Central Bank of Madagascar
Madagascar
Central Bank of Mauritania
Mauritania
Central bank of Montenegro
Montenegro
Central Bank of Nigeria
Nigeria
Central Bank of Oman
Oman
Central Bank of Somalia
Somalia
Central Bank of Sudan
Sudan
Central Bank of Tunisia
Tunisia
Central Bank UAE
UAE
Corit International
Austria
Crane Currency
USA
Currency Research
United Kingdom
De La Rue
United Kingdom
Delta Trading
Egypt
Fidelity Gold Refinery
Zimbabwe
FineTunes
France
FUJIFILM Unigraphica AG
Liechtenstein
G+D Currency Technology
Germany
GWT Gesellschaft für Wasser- und Wärmetechnik Gmb
Austria
Hueck Folien GmbH
Austria
IN Groupe
France
INORCOAT
Bulgaria
International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA)
USA
International Mint And Print
IQ Structures
Czech Republic
Jura
Austria
Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions SA
Switzerland
Komori Corporation
Japan
KURZ
Germany
Landqart
Switzerland
Louisenthal
Germany
Luminescence Sun Chemical Security
United Kingdom
Mennica Polska SA
Poland
META Materials
Canada
Ministry of Finance
Mauritania
Monnaie de Paris
France
National Bank of Georgia
Georgia
Nigerian Security Printing and Minting
Nigeria
Oberthur Fiduciaire
France
Orell Füssli
Switzerland
Oumolat Security Printing CBUAE
United Arab Emirates
P. Barreau Advest
Switzerland
Pakistan Security Printing Corporation
Pakistan
PARVIS
Italy
Philopateer Sàrl
Switzerland
PWPW
Poland
Reserve Bank of Malawi
Malawi
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Royal Canadian Mint
Canada
Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering – Africa
Kenya
Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering B.V.
Netherlands
Secura Monde International
United Kingdom
Security Fibres UK
United Kingdom
Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Limited
India
SICPA
Switzerland
Sidhom
Egypt
South African Banknote Company
South Africa
South African Reserve Bank
South Africa
Spectra Systems
USA
SPMCIL
India
Stardust Materials LLC
Estonia
Sudan Currency Printing Press
Sudan
SURYS
France
TAWADA LIMITED
Nigeria
The Royal Mint
United Kingdom
Tissot Strategy & Development
Switzerland
Veridos
Germany
WTG Water Treatment GmbH
Austria
Zambia Educational Publishing House
Zambia
Zeiser GmbH
Germany
Programme
ACF2023 Presentations
Sunday 15 January
12:00 – 20:00 – Registration Open at Steigenberger Hotel
18:00 – Welcome Reception – Themed event, cocktails, dinner with music and entertainment at the Sonesta Hotel — sponsored by Oberthur Fiduciaire
Monday 16 January
Conference Welcome
09:00
Welcome Message
David Tidmarsh
Reconnaissance International (UK)
Fadi Saadallah
Philopateer (Switzerland)
09:55
Overview of Currency Developments from 2018 to 2022 in Africa
Astrid Mitchell
Currency News (UK)
10:15 – Q&A
10:30 – Opening of the Exhibition and Coffee Break
Session 1 : Secure Technology and Banknote Developments (with Sustainability)
11:35
Securing Paper Banknote -Durable, Natural, Sustainable
Christophe Montet
Oberthur Fiduciaire (France)
Guillaume Chapeau
Oberthur Fiduciaire
11:55
Banknote Substrate Performance and its Implications on Sustainability
Dr Daniel Schwarzbach
Orell Fussli (Switzerland)
12:35 – Q&A
12:50 – Lunch
Session 2: Developments in Diffractive Technologies
13:50
KINEGRAM Security Features from Kurz – The Clearest and Most Intuitive Mark of the Genuine Banknote
Ian Smith
Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG (Germany)
14:10
KolourOptik®: Security Feature Innovation through Art & Science
Neal Skura
META Materials (Canada)
15:30 – Q&A
15:45 – Coffee Break and Exhibition
15:45 – AABSDP meeting
19:15 – Dinner on Amira Island by Boats Leaving from the Sonesta Hotel – sponsored by Landqart
Tuesday 17 January
Session 3: Banknote Technology and Machinery Update
09:00
A Unique Solutions Provider to Banknote Production
Jonas Baumann
Koenig & Bauer (Switzerland)
Ana Laura Aranda
Koenig & Bauer (Switzerland)
10:40 – Q&A
10:55 – Coffee Break, Exhibition and Snacks
12:00 – Valley of the Kings and Queens – Buses leave Steigenberger at 12.00. Return from Valley of Kings by 4 large boats. Nile Cruise and Food Return to hotel – sponsored by De La Rue
20:00 – Dinner in Steigenberger – sponsored by De La Rue
Wednesday 18 January
Session 4: Banknotes: Trending Towards Sustainability?
09:00
Towards a More Secure , Efficient and Sustainable Cash Cycle
Zeina Abdo
SICPA (Switzerland)
Joe Saliba
SICPA (Switzerland)
09:40
The Magic Triangle: Banknote Solutions Must be Sustainable
Andrew Forbes
Louisenthal (Germany)
10:20
SHIELD, Protecting Your Banknotes to the African Climate(s)
Gerben van Wijk, Gerben van Wijk
Luminescence Sun Chemical, International Tax Stamp Association (UK, UK)
10:40 – Q&A
10:55 – Coffee and Exhibition
Session 5: Banknote Printing in Africa – Case Studies and Benchmarking
11:45
Using Digitisation to Enhance Substrate Specification Towards Improved Print Performance
Dr. Ashvir Narrandes
South African Banknote Company (South Africa)
12:05
Sustainability in Currency Production and Waste Management
Ahmed Halilu
Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (Nigeria)
12:25 – Q&A
13:20 – Lunch
Session 6: Cash or CBDC’s or Both
15:10 – Q&A
15:15 – Coffee Break and Exhibition
Session 7: Sustainability – The Challenge and Opportunities for the Cash Industry
15:25 – Panel Discussion
- Jeroen Kusters, Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering
- Ahmed Halilu, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting
- Etienne Couëlle, Oberthur Fiduciaire
- Alexandra Peppmeier, Giesecke + Devrient
16:45 – AABSDP meeting
18:45 – Gala Dinner @ Karnak Temple – Coaches leave Steigenberger at 18:45 – sponsored by Crane Currency
Thursday 19 January
Visit to New Print Works, Vault and Cash Centre followed by Celebration Dinner
Charter flight to New Cairo Airport – sponsored by Koenig & Bauer and Giesecke+Devrient
6:00 Onwards meet in Hotel Lobby
06:30 – 07:00 Leave Hotel Lobby for Airport
07:00 – 08:00 Boarding
08:00 – 09:30 Flight to New Capital Airport
09:30 – 10:15 Transfer to the St. Regis Hotel
10.15 – 11:00 Cocktail Reception in the Conference Centre
11:00 – 12:00 G+D Presentation
12:00 – Room Check in and Buffet Available in Restaurant
12:00 – 15.00 –Delegates will be split into 10 groups, leaving every 20 minutes to the Banknote Printing House and Cash Centre. Meanwhile check in and lunch will be served at the hotel before departures or arrivals of designated groups.
Upon Returning From the Tour Everyone Free to use Hotel Facilities.
19:30 – Drinks Reception
20:00 – Celebration Dinner – sponsored by Giesecke+Devrient
(Special music concert sponsored by Giesecke+Devrient and Delta Trading)