Review of RA I 16th Session Related Issues on Observation, Telecommunication and Infrastructure Ernest A. Afiesimama Offices for Africa and Least Developed Countries (AFLDC)

RA I-16 Main Outcomes WMO WMO EC Seats: RA I (Africa) has 9 seats and the session agreed to ask for 1 additional seat; President of RA I: Dr. Amos Makarau (PR of Zimbabwe) was elected president of RA I (by consensus); Vice-president of RA I: Mr. Douda Konate (PR of Cote d`Ivoire) was elected vice-president of RA I (by consensus); Potential Hosts to RA I-17: Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, and United Republic of Tanzania offered to host the seventeenth session, subject to further confirmation.

RA I-16 Main Outcomes Subsidiary Bodies Established By RA I-16 Management Group (MG);  (b) Working Group on Observations, Telecommunication and Infrastructure;   (c) Working Group on Climate Services and Applications; (d) Working Group on Hydrology and Water Resources; (e) Working Group on Improved Weather Forecasting, Natural Disaster Reduction, Service Delivery, and Communication; (f) Working Group on Compliance Issues in Marine and Aeronautical Meteorological Services and Cost Recovery; Tropical Cyclone Committee for the South-West Indian Ocean; (h) Task Team on Aeronautical Meteorology in RA I; (I) Working Group on Marine Services (MG Meeting in Addis Ababa, 23 - 25 May 2016) !

RA I-16 Main Outcomes Members of the Working Group on Observations, Telecommunication and Infrastructure Experts on WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems, including the chairperson of the RA I WMO Information System Implementation Team; Experts on the WMO Information System; Two experts on Instruments and Methods of Observation, one specializing in conventional observation systems and the other in remote systems; Experts on regional telecommunications; Experts from the RA I Dissemination Expert Group on satellite data.  

RA I-16 Main Outcomes WMO RA I Priorities for 2016 – 2019 WMO Financial Period Capacity Development Human Capital Educational Training, specifically for meteorologists with degree (in aviation, agro-meteorology, hydrometeorology, biometeorology, dynamic / statistical forecasting, marine meteorology and oceanography) Continuous Training to keep abreast and be actively involved with the evolving science, innovation and technology, including climate change and its associated impacts Training on management and leadership of NMHSs (governance) Infrastructure Development Strengthen Observational Networks and Systems on land, water and air (WIGOS) Strengthen Data Telecommunication Systems for Data Exchange (WIS) Data processing, analysis and forecasting (nowcasting, short-, medium-, and long-range forecasting, including NWP) Climate Database Management Systems (CDMS) Data and Product Dissemination Systems (RANET, Farmers Weather Bulletins) Data Rescue (DARE)

RA I-16 Main Outcomes WMO RAI Priorities for 2016 – 2019 WMO Financial Period Cont… Aeronautical Meteorological Services for Aviation Quality Management Systems (QMS) (Certification of NMHSs) Competency Assessment Cost Recovery (transformation of NMHSs into autonomous entities, and facilitate and enhance cost recovery) Open Skies Regionalization Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) Development of National Frameworks of Climate Services (NFCS) / User Interface Platform (UIP) Climate Services Information Systems (CSIS) for tailor made products and services (agriculture and food security, water resources, public health and disaster risk reduction, urban services and energy, among others) Research and Development (R&D) Application of knowledge to understand weather and climate systems Downscaling products from national to community levels for informed decision-making (through statistical / numerical methodologies) Archival of Digitized Data

RA I-16 Main Outcomes WMO RAI Priorities for 2016 – 2019 WMO Financial Period Cont… Service Delivery Public Weather Service (radio, TV, RANET and other electronic media) Roving Seminars Public Awareness Educational Outreach Programmes Providing early warning information for weather and climate related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) at the national level (tropical cyclones, storm surges, fire weather, floods and droughts)

RA I-16 Main Outcomes PROGRAMMES SERVICE DELIVERY WMO PROGRAMMES SERVICE DELIVERY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION WIGOS/WIS
 AVIATION AND MARINE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES GLOBAL FRAMEWORK FOR CLIMATE SERVICES CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

RA I-WG-OTI Functions The main objective of RA I-WG-OTI is to: enhance capabilities of NMHSs and RCCs to: observe, monitor, exchanges data, produce and disseminate high quality information and use integrated and interoperable surface- and space-based observation systems for weather, climate and hydrological observations, as well as related environmental and space weather observations, based on world standards set by WMO.

RA I-WG-OTI related Issues in RA I-16 Report The Association encouraged Met services to form collaborations with airlines to enhance observations, particularly in data sparse regions of the continent to assist with the development of the RA I AMDAR system. In addition, it suggested that a regional working body for AMDAR could take on the role of coordinating and overseeing the further development of the aircraft-based observing systems in the Region. The Association recognized the need to monitor the implementation of the Evolution of Global Observing Systems (EGOS-IP) actions, and requested its Members, who have not yet done so, to nominate National Focal Points tasked to monitor the implementation of the EGOS-IP nationally, report on regional implementation issues, and provide feedback to the CBS through the Secretariat. The Association supports further development of the siting classification for observing stations on land, published in the Guide to Instruments and Methods of Observations (WMO-No. 8), as a common ISO-WMO standard. The Association urged its Members to implement this classification and to share any experience gained in this process. The Association encourages the Permanent Representatives in RA I to endeavour to ensure that the WMO Position on radio-frequency matters is made known to their national and ATU/ASMG/AfriSWOG representatives and that they advise CBS through the Steering Group on Radio Frequency Coordination (SG-RFC) on relevant activity within national and regional frequency management groups.

RA I-WG-OTI related Issues in RA I-16 Report The Association agreed to consider Regional Association I Dissemination Expert Group (RAIDEG) as a technical advisory body of the RA I Working Group on Observations and Infrastructure as elaborated in the RAIDEG Terms of Reference given in the Annex I to the present report. It encouraged all Members to nominate points of contact as an interface to the RAIDEG representative of their respective subregion The Association encouraged all Members to participate in online monthly Regional Focus Group discussions on Satellite Meteorology established by the South African Centre of Excellence; it encouraged the other Centres to establish similar mechanisms.   The Association welcomed the establishment of the Global Monitoring of Environment and Security for Africa (GMES-Africa) as an initiative that should provide a new framework and increased support for the development and implementation of space-based environmental applications. The Association suggested that the WMO/AMCOMET Regional Space Programme for Africa should put emphasis on the further development of applications of space-based observations to weather prediction, climate and environment monitoring, and disaster risk reduction.

RA I-WG-OTI related Issues in RA I-16 Report The Association noted that a major effort will be required by WIS centres to ensure staff are appropriately trained in the skills required to use WIS effectively in their activities. It recognized the progress in the work of CBS in identifying a WIS Competencies and Learning Guide and encouraged Members to take advantage of this information in the implementation and sustainability of their WIS functionality.   The Association reminded its Members that, in order to derive benefits from WIS, accurate WIS Discovery Metadata records describing the information provided through the WIS needs to be ensured. This includes registering data and products available for national usage. It further encouraged its Members to enable their national web pages to include remote search of their Principal GISC metadata catalogues to facilitate national users’ access to all WIS data and products. The Association noted that creating and maintaining an effective telecommunications infrastructure in RA I remained a challenge; with many Members unable to implement a national telecommunications network capable of digital exchange of information. The Association noted with concern that in Region I, less than 60 per cent of surface reports and less than 30 per cent of upper-air reports were reaching the Regional Telecommunications Hubs and, by implication, the global numerical weather prediction centres. To identify and locate the issues linked to the unavailability of core data, the Association recommended the Region’s RTHs to apply, in coordination with the relevant NMCs and WMO, the special monitoring according to the operating procedures of the World Weather Watch

RA I-WG-OTI related Issues in RA I-16 Report The Association expressed concern that logistical issues often prevented proper operation of the greenhouse gas observational network in Africa and caused large gaps in the data. It requested Members to undertake the necessary steps to ensure the unbroken operation of GHG sampling and transportation of the air samples to the analytical laboratory.   The Association recalled the WMO SDS-WAS (www.wmo.int/sdswas) requires near real-time observations of sand and dust aerosols to improve forecasts of sand and dust storms needed to reduce risk to aviation, human health and agriculture. It recommended that similar services be established for biomass burning. The Association further noted with concern that initiatives to relocate good spare instruments from developed countries to sparsely covered African areas with suitable sites, remain without real momentum. The Association urged the Members that operate regional, global or contributing GAW stations to make sure that their information is updated regularly. Taking note of the decline in data submission of several GAW parameters, the Association reminded Members that the latest data is needed in order for GAW to deliver required services and up-to-date information and urged Members to submit GAW observational data to the respective data centres as agreed, normally within one year after the measurement.

RA I-WG-OTI related Issues in RA I-16 Report The Association noted the need for capacity development in the Region. It further acknowledged the usefulness of the GAW Training and Education Centre (GAWTEC, www.gawtec.de) in Germany, SDS and Brewer training courses as well as co-sponsored summer schools and other training events. The Association encouraged Members to take advantage of such training events and recommended that existing WMO Regional Training Centres be extended in scope to include atmospheric composition observations.   Recommendations of Management Group to RA I-WG-OTI By 2019 Broadband Internet connectivity should be in place; and WIGOS/WIS, including nomination of Focal Points of these programmes are in place

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