AMCOMET Newsletter 003

As this is the first newsletter since I took office January 2014 as the Director of the Regional Office for Africa and Least Developed Countries of WMO and responsible for the AMCOMET Secretariat, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for taking time to follow the AMCOMET process.

The AMCOMET Secretariat has been engaged in various activities in the past few months, and I am very happy to inform you that we have made great progress in advancing the AMCOMET agenda, in particular in the increasing awareness of AMCOMET (In the News) and in facilitating the decisions taken during the Second Session of AMCOMET in October 2012, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, which include the approval of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology (Weather and Climate Services) and the establishment of a Regional Climate Centre in Central Africa.

I am even more delighted to announce that the dates and venue for the Third Session of AMCOMET have been confirmed.  Much thanks and profound gratitude goes to the Republic of Cabo Verde for her generosity in offering to host the sessions.  The AMCOMET Session will be held back-to-back with the 16th Session of the Regional Association I (RAI, Africa) both of which will be preceded by the Regional Conference (RECO).  The dates for the sessions are as follows:

The AfriMET, an initiative of Spain with 10 West African countries, might precede all the Sessions.

Please save these dates on your calendar.  Formal invitations and necessary documents will be sent to you shortly.  We have a full agenda and your active participation will be crucial in ensuring the Third AMCOMET Session's success.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you in Cape Verde, now officially called Cabo Verde!

Dr. Joseph R. Mukabana

Following the Expert Stakeholder Meeting for the Implementation and Resource Mobilization Plan  of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology, which took place in February 2014 in Addis Ababa at the AUC Headquarters, a series of validation meetings for the Implementation Plan have taken place.  These are as follows:

5 - 7 May 2014:  Presentation to and endorsement from the EAC Member States in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

15 - 16 May 2014:  Presentation to and endorsement from ECOWAS, ECCAS and AMU Member States, in Banjul, The Gambia

22 - 23 May 2014:  Presentation to and endorsement from MASA and SADC Members, in Johannesburg, South Africa

This validation process will allow the seamless endorsement of the Implementation and Resource Mobilization Plan of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology (Weather and Climate Services) by the relevant African Union organs, ensuring that sub-regional priorities are embedded in the Strategy and Implementation Plan.


In the picture above right, Dr. Johnson Boanuh, ECOWAS, Ms. Olushola Olayide, AUC, and H.E. Mass Axi Gye, Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources of The Gambia.

In the picture above left, Representatives of Heads of National Meteorological Services from EAC Member States, Mr. Nshimirimana Godefroid (representing the Burundi Head of NMHS, Mr. Aloys Rurantije),  Mr. John Semafara Ntaganda (Rwanda), Mr. James G. Kongoti (Kenya), Dr. Agnes Kijazi (Tanzania) and Mr. Michael  A.S.Z Nkalubo (Uganda).  Also present were Mr. John Gitutu Mungai (EAC), Dr. Joseph R. Mukabana (WMO), among others.

Major efforts are being made to increase the visibility of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) through the platform of the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET).  Much work is now directed towards highlighting activities of the communities in Africa, the achievements and challenges as well as keeping the weather and climate community and development partners abreast of the activities of AMCOMET.  One way of accomplishing these highlights  is by building relationships with the media.  Below are some links to media coverage on the work in progress.  You will also find these and more on the AMCOMET website and Facebook page.

Southern Times:  African countries advance plans for a regional space programme
Africa Review:  African Nations not fully compliant with airline quality standards
NewsDay:  Zim takes a leading role in fighting global warming
ZBC:  Zim meteorology initiatives hailed
Voice of America:  Africa Developing Unified Climate Strategy
African Press Organization:  African Ministers Responsible for Meteorology seek to increase community resilience

How can you help?

Like us on Facebook:  This will help increase our reach, enabling us to send the message to a wider audience.

Send us your news and information on your various initiatives:  We will feature them on our website, Facebook, newsletter and even tweet about them.  This will help increase visibility on what you are doing and how you are helping your communities.  Email the AMCOMET Secretariat at amcomet [at] wmo.int.

We would like to express our appreciation to the Government of Zimbabwe for hosting the Second Task Force and Bureau Meetings of AMCOMET in Harare, from the 26 - 30 May 2014.

The members of the governing body of AMCOMET rolled up their sleeves and worked to shape the draft Implementation and Resource Mobilization Plan of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology.  They further discussed the progress on the establishment of a Regional Climate Centre (RCC) in Central Africa, the Constitution and Rules of Procedures and on the feasibility of developing an African Regional Space Programme.  The Meeting reports are available on our website.

High-level participants included H.E. Mr Mukhtar Abdulkarim Adam, State Minister of Environment Forestry And Physical Development (MEFPD) of Sudan; H.E. Ms. Flavia Munaaba Nabugere, Minister of Water and Environment of Uganda; H.E. Yamfwa Mukanga, MP, Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications of Zambia; Hon Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate of Zimbabwe and Chair of AMCOMET; Hon Prof Jonathan Moyo, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services of Zimbabwe; M. Hassan Adoum Bahkit Haggar, Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure and Sustainable Development of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC); Hon Mr. Prince Mupazviriho, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate of Zimbabwe; H.E. Ms. Balbina Daes Pienaar, Ambassador of Namibia to Zimbabwe; H.E. Ndiyoyi Mututi, Ambassador of Zambia to Zimbabwe; Mr. Michel Jarraud, Secretary General of WMO; and Dr. Elena Manaenkova, Assistant Secretary General of WMO.

Vice President of Zimbabwe, H.E. Hon. Joyce Mjuru meets with WMO Secretary-General, Mr. Michel Jarraud and WMO Assistant Secretary-General Dr. Elena Manaenkova to discuss the progress of the AMCOMET process.

The meeting took place on the margins of the Second Bureau Meeting of AMCOMET.  Zimbabwe is currently the Chair of AMCOMET.

The Second Meeting of the Global Framework for Cimate Services - Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (GFCS-ACP) Task Team took place at the EUMETSAT headquarters in Darmstadt, 4-6 June 2014.   The Task Team was established to support the implementation of the GFCS in Africa as recommended in the Addis Ababa Declaration, which was signed in September 2012.

Participants included WMO, ECCAS, CEMAC, ACMAD, Agrhymet, 5Cs, CIMH, EC, SADC-CSC, ICPAC, IOC and AUC. 

A High-Level GFCS-Africa Meeting is expected to take place on the eve of the 11th EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa which takes place 8-12 September 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The AMCOMET brochure can be used as a tool to promote the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology.  It provides the rationale for its establishment, the challenges faced by the African continent and best practices in various sectors.  

Moreover, the AMCOMET brochure has a short summary on the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology (Weather and Climate Services) and features advise from Dr. Linda Makuleni of the South African Weather Services and Dr. Joseph Mukabana, former Director of the Kenya Meteorological Department on how to leverage political support and increase awareness of NMHS value added to yield a stronger national meteorological service.

Click here for the English and French versions of the document.