The director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and chairperson of the Governing Board of the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD), Prof. Mansur Matazu attended the third ACMAD Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) Continental Steering Committee Meeting held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
The purpose of the three-day meeting was to assess and discuss the second-year achievements of ClimSA by ACMAD and it’s partners, review and approve the project work plan and budget for 2024.
The meeting was also to facilitate exchanges and build partnerships for early warning for all at country level in Cote d’Ivoire, as well as promote climate services for resilient infrastructure in Africa.
The meeting was also part of efforts by the National Meteorological Services of Cote D’Ivoire and ACMAD through the ClimSA User interface Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) to establish and operate national early warning and early action system.
Other objectives of the meeting included strengthening partnerships along the climate service value chain, early warning for all and application for climate resilient infrastructure design, building and operation in Africa.
It also provided opportunity to share experience and information on the ClimSA Project’s achievements in strengthening the climate service value chain. Information on the observed impact of disasters on infrastructure design, building and operation was also shared.
Also discussed was the need for climate services for building resilience in the infrastructure sector and raising awareness of early warning.
Matazu delivered a presentation titled ‘2022 Flood in Northern Nigeria: Available Weather and Climate Products and the Flood Impact on Infrastructure’. The presentation centred on the 2022 flood in Nigeria and its impact on states, infrastructure, people and the agriculture value chain.
About 154 locations with transport infrastructure worth over N80 billion was damaged, more than 612 lives were lost and over 1.4 million people were displaced, with property worth billions lost.
In March 2021, the ACMAD started the implementation of the European Union (11th European Development Fund )-funded intra African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states (Intra-ACP) Climate Services and Related Application (ClimSA) Project at continental level through a grant with the African Union Commission as contracting authority.
The programme seeks to strengthen climate services value chain in ACP countries and regions with technical, financial assistance and capacity building.
The ACMAD grant focuses on climate services generation and applications in the agriculture, water, health and disaster risk reduction sectors.
