Side event 5

The Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) programme is designed to strengthen the climate services value chain—from accessing and generating climate data and information to the provision and effective utilisation of these services by both producers and users. A key objective of the Programme is to develop and implement a comprehensive capacity-building plan that addresses strategic and thematic issues at both regional and national levels. This plan aims to enhance the capabilities of meteorological services and stakeholders at every stage of the climate services value chain, in alignment with the Competency Framework for Climate Services.

Through the ClimSA Programme, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) has actively supported National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) across Eastern Africa. This support includes providing scholarships for the professional development of NMHS personnel, facilitating access to state-of-the-art High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems, and procuring advanced workstations for enhanced data processing and analysis. Additionally, ICPAC organises annual foundational and pre-GHACOF capacity-building workshops, which are crucial for equipping NMHS staff with the latest knowledge and skills in climate modeling and prediction. These efforts enable the production of more accurate and tailored climate products and services, thereby significantly strengthening their capacity to respond to the region’s climate-related challenges.

This side event aims to highlight and share best practices, showcase ongoing initiatives, and explore collaborative opportunities to strengthen the capacities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) in Eastern Africa and will reflect on synergies with other regions. The discussion will also explore on the essential need for institutional capacity building, human resource development, technological innovation, and sustainable funding mechanisms in both African and Caribbean contexts.

ACMAD will showcase example of best practices at continental level in enhancing capacities of NMHSs