High Level meeting on the Global Framework for Climate Services and Africa

07 September 2014
Benoni - South Africa

On 30 September 2012, at the eve of the 10th EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa, the “Addis Ababa Declaration in support of the implementation of Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) in Africa” was agreed upon by the African Union Commission (AUC), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the African-Caribbean-Pacific Secretariat (ACP Secretariat), under the auspice of the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy, and in the presence of representatives from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), European Union (EU), African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

The Addis Ababa Declaration, with the backing of African Regional Economic Communities, supports the implementation of GFCS in Africa and calls upon the international community in particular, the EU-Africa Partnership, for its support.

The Declaration was also referred to in the Integrated African Strategy for Meteorology (Weather and Climate Services), which was approved during the Second Session of AMCOMET in October 2012 in Harare and further endorsed by the African Union Summit of Heads of States in January 2013. The Strategy positions weather and climate services as essential components in national and regional development frameworks for the sustainable development of Africa. It further aims to serve as a collaboration mechanism at the pan-African level and provide strategic direction to Member States and stakeholders in streamlining policies that address challenges and opportunities associated with the promotion and development of adequate weather and climate services.

On the 7th of September, 2014, the Benoni Statement was signed by H.E. Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, Republic of South Africa and H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission reaffirming their support in the implementation of GFCS in Africa and to the Addis Ababa Declaration.