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Press Release No. 862

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AFRICAN MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR METEOROLOGY TO MEET TO STRENGTHEN CLIMATE SERVICES

Geneva, 4 September 2009 (WMO) – For the first time ever, African Ministers responsible for meteorology will meet to address ways of strengthening weather, climate and water information for decision-making.

This first ministerial Conference, organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in partnership with the African Union, will be held in Nairobi, hosted by the Government of Kenya, from 15 to 19 March 2010. It will consist of an expert session for two-and-a-half days and a ministerial session for one-and-a-half days. It follows on the themes and goals of World Climate Conference-3, which is closing in Geneva, Switzerland today, after more than 150 countries unanimously adopted a Global Framework for Climate Services that will enhance climate information and its use.

“Now more than ever, African National Hydrological and Meteorological Services must be seen as major actors of development,” said Mr Jeremiah Lengoasa, WMO Assistant Secretary-general. They have an important role to play in evaluating and monitoring climate change, and their early warnings on natural hazards are essential to help prevent natural disasters. “The Conference will be addressing the role and contribution of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to efforts by African Governments for developing initiatives for adaptation measures to mitigate against the negative impacts of weather and climate.”

The African continent is especially vulnerable to climate change. Already, the number and magnitude of natural hazards are increasing in the face of a warming climate. All sectors in Africa are affected, from agriculture, water and food security, to health and forestry.

In Africa, famine is primarily the result of drought that leads to consistent food shortages. The severe drought of 2002/2003 provoked a catastrophic famine in Southern Africa; an ongoing drought in Kenya is widely affecting livestock and migration. Millions of African people suffer hunger with relentless regularity. Famine and climate change increase drastically the population’s vulnerability to diseases, poverty and other hardships. Likewise, catastrophic floods can devastate agricultural lands: in 2000, Mozambique was hit by the worst floods experienced in 150 years, with the Limpopo River basin submerged in water for up to three months.

To address these challenges, the Ministerial Conference has six key goals, to:

• Create a high-level mechanism for Ministers responsible for meteorology in Africa to discuss policy and strategic matters related to meteorology and climate;
• Sensitize political leaders, at the highest level, on the actual and potential contributions of meteorological services to the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals;
• Facilitate dialogue among African Ministers responsible for meteorology in order to create common understanding and identity of action to mitigate the negative impacts of weather and climate;
• Identify possible strategies to enhance capacities in addressing challenges posed by climate change in various socio-economic sectors
• Encourage active participation of local communities in monitoring programmes and surveillance; and
• Adopt a Ministerial Declaration on weather and climate, and a related Action Plan.

The African Union is a partner in the ministerial Conference. The African Union is involved in the implementation of the Climate for Development Project in Africa (Climdev) and the African Monitoring Environment for Sustainable Development Project (AMESD).

The Conference is expected to provide strategic guidance for the next quadrennial meeting of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of Africa that will be held in 2010.

WMO is the United Nations' authoritative voice on weather, climate and water

For more information please contact WMO Communications and Public Affairs:

Ms Carine Richard-Van Maele, Chief, tel: +41 (0) 22 730 8314/15, E-mail: cvanmaele@wmo.int

Ms Marie Heuzé, Special Advisor, tel: +41 (0) 22 730 8478, E-mail:

mheuze@wmo.int

Ms Gaëlle Sévenier, Press Officer, Tel. +41 (0) 22 730 8417. E-mail: gsevenier@wmo.int

Website: http://www.wmo.int

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