A three-day meeting of directors of metrological services in West Africa, which is in line with the cooperation agreement between the West Meteorological Organisation (MWO) and the Spanish Metrological Services in West Africa  opened Wednesday at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

The aim of the meeting is to discuss progress on the implementation of the agreement, among others. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the minster of Works, Construction and Infrastructure,Lamin Bojang on behalf of the minister of Fisheries and Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, said weather and climate do not recognise territorial boundaries, and so the need for cooperation and collaboration between countries, especially those sharing similar climate patterns cannot be over-emphasised. ?It is therefore not surprising that the founder of the metrological profession placed great emphasis on cooperation between services throughout the world,? he remarked, and added:

?In a country such as ours where the vast majority of livelihood, thrive on climate sensitive activities such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, [and] tourism, it is not difficult to see why weather and climate issues are of paramount importance to us and indeed to the majority of countries of the sub-region.?

He asserted that one of the greatest challenges that humankind is faced with in this modern age is climate change, adding that it is a global concern and that both rich and poor countries alike are affected by its negative impacts. According to him, some countries particularly in the developed world now treat climate change as a national security concern. ?The justification for such a position is not difficult to explain as it could be seen around the world, where climate hazards such as intense precipitation, drought, storm, winds, etc, threaten livelihood and life on daily basis, as well as undermine past achievements. It therefore goes without saying that, less endowed countries in the sub region, which are more vulnerable to climate change and its negative impact, should endeavour to deploy more resources to ensure greater observation, monitoring, and prediction of the weather and climate, in order to reduce risks associated with the various outcomes of the atmosphere,? he said.

For his part, The Gambia?s permanent representative at the WMO, Bernard Gomez said the meeting is of great importance to all stakeholders, particularly to the heads of meteorological services in the West African sub-region. ?They are fully aware of the plight of there communities to whom the weather and climate constitute the main resource for their livelihood. Like any resource, its abundance or security should be matter of great concern, particularly when unfavorable distribution of the resource can lead to such threats as famine, loss of shelter, entrenching poverty and even death, among others. Looking back at the past raining season, not a single country represented in this confab has seen spared from climate related calamities.

As communities look forward to the next rainy season, what has the meteorological profession have to offer to them, to assist them take information or decisions in order to harness the favorable climate outcomes and to reduce the risk from unfavourable outcomes,? he stated. Alioune Ndiaye, the MWO regional director for Africa, thanked the Spanish government for its commitment in supporting the WMO in their social development. He also thanked the government of The Gambia for hosting the meeting. He urged the members of the WMO to develop a realistic plan of action in climate change.

The Spanish ambassador to The Gambia, Javier Benoso expressed gratitude to The Gambia government for its commitment in protecting the environment, recalling that Spain suffered from meteorological catastrophes in the 80?s. He also revealed that Spain established a Trust Fund being coordinated by the WMO to support the third world countries to prevent them from such catastrophes.