The African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) launched a new website to increase the visibility of its work in fostering political will to strengthen national meteorological and hydrological services, enabling them to: improve the delivery of weather, climate and water services in Africa; and promote sustainable socioeconomic development.
1 October 2013: The African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) launched a new website to increase the visibility of its work in fostering political will to strengthen national meteorological and hydrological services, enabling them to: improve the delivery of weather, climate and water services in Africa; and promote sustainable socioeconomic development.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Africa has the least developed weather and climate land-based observation network of all continents, despite its vulnerability to weather and climate extremes and the fact that it covers a fifth of the world’s total land area. To respond to these challenges and improve the level of services, AMCOMET was established in 2010 during the First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa. AMCOMET provides political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision of weather, water and climate information and services, and convenes every two years.
The Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology, adopted during the second session of AMCOMET, positions weather and climate services as essential components in national and regional development frameworks, particularly in poverty reduction and climate change adaptation efforts. Its objective is to promote political cooperation and streamline policies between African countries and advocate for sound decision making based on robust science. The Strategy is also a key component in the implementation of a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) in Africa.
The launch of the new website comes ahead of two major climate conferences in Africa: the Africa Climate Conference, scheduled to take place from 15-19 October 2013, in Arusha, Tanzania, focusing on research gaps to inform decision making in Africa; and the Third Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa, to be held from 21-23 October 2013, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which aims to share experiences, assess how Africa is coping with impacts of climate change, and seek ways to strengthen Africa’s ability to better prepare the continent for transformative development. [AMCONET Website] [WMO Press Release] [Africa Climate Conference Website] [Third Conference on Climate Change and Development Website] [Global Framework for Climate Services Website]