Major conference on Meteorology opens in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa/Dar.  The first African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) opened its doors to over 500 African stakeholders yesterday September 12 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

The conference brings together leaders from governments, public and private sector representatives, civil society and development partners who are expected to agree on how to ease disaster-related losses and boost their economies through improved weather, water, and climate services, known collectively as hydromet.

In a joint statement released by World Bank and the African Union (AU), the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Josefa Leonel Sacko said the capability of countries to issue early warnings based on accurate forecasts was essential to preserve the lives and households of millions of people across Africa

The conference, which is co-hosted by the African Union Commission and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, unites Africa leaders as they ponder on how weather and climate-related disasters are reversing development gains across the entire continent.

Disasters are said to reduce the Gross Domestic Product of a country by 10 – 20 percent, not only derailing economic development, but reversing economic gains.

World Bank Vice President for Africa, Makhtar Diop said the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters across Sub-Saharan Africa should serve as a wake-up call for governments and the international community to invest in hydromet services.

Improving the accuracy of weather forecasts would not only save lives but also help African cities and communities build resilience against climate change, he added.

For his part, the Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization, Petteri Taalas, said effective hydromet services, such as advanced weather and climate forecasting will ensure that communities have the early warnings needed to prepare before disasters hit.