Dr Zheng Guoguang introduced the progress of the aid project. Photo by Hu Xiaoping
The press conference of China’s meteorological aid project for Africa Countries Photo by Hu Xiaoping
On June 17 the local time, China Meteorological Administration (CMA), along with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretariat held a press conference on meteorological aid project in Geneva. Dr Zheng Guoguang from CMA；Mr Ma Zhaoxu, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)；Mr David Grimes, President of WMO；Mr Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of WMO；Permanent Representatives to UNOG from several recipient countries like Kenya and Sudan；And executive members attending the 68th session of WMO Executive Council were present at the press conference.
At the press conference, Mr Ma Zhaoxu extended welcome to all representatives. Dr. Zheng Guoguang reported on the progress and operation of the aid project undertaken by CMA in the spirit of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in July, 2012. Dr. David Grimes, and Amos MAKARAU, President of WMO African Regional Association, delivered speeches at the conference and extended their congratulations and gratitude to the implementation of the aid project. During the press conference, representatives watched the introduction video of the aid project.
Under the guidance of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), since 2013, CMA has invited representatives from African countries to visit China in order to get access to their respective conditions and requirements. On the basis of communication with WMO Secretariat, the WMO African Regional Association, relevant African countries as well as field survey, the Comoros, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, DRC, Cameroon and Sudan were finalized as the recipient countries. The aid project aims to enhance the capabilities of meteorological disasters monitoring, forecasting, early-warning and service. It also covers areas such as weather observation, information network and data processing, and weather information release and service.
By the mid-June, 2016, the installation, commissioning and training related to the Comoros project have been successfully completed. The project was delivered at a handover ceremony in Moroni, the capital of Comoros. Observational data stemmed from the Comoros project have entered the local forecast system, and become both regionally and globally accessible through the GTS system. The Zimbabwe project has completed the installation and commissioning of automatic weather station, FY-3 meteorological satellite data receiving and processing system, meteorological early-warning radio control system, meteorological early warning radio, and standard virtual meteorological TV studio, and associated training activities. Preparation work like equipment production has been completed for the aid project in other countries. The implementation work will be launched at the second half of this year. The entire meteorological aid project in all seven recipient countries will be completed by the end of 2016.
The aid project in Africa will enhance the capabilities of recipient countries in terms of weather disasters monitoring, forecasting, early-warning, and service and also symbolize China’s contribution to the global meteorological cause.（June 18）
Reporter: Hu Xiaoping
Editor: Liu Shuqiao