Regional Office for Africa

Regional Office for Africa

The Office for Africa is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, interfaces with 57 Member States in Africa (WMO Region I), 33 of which are least developed countries.

Many African countries are prone to slow onset climate events such as droughts and extreme weather that cause lethal flash floods. The continent's money-strapped countries – 33 of 57 are least developed – already face development challenges and ecosystem degradation. Climate and weather events impose further pressures on economic sectors, such as agriculture and tourism, in addition to impacting health. Africa’s adaptive capacity lessens with each new eent, increasing its sensitivity to climate change. Strengthening the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to provide better weather and climate services, as well as to improve the management of hydrological resources, will enhance the adaptive capacity of African Member States. Incorporating better weather and climate risk management into development policies and strategies will enhance socio-economic development and improve the well-being of African peoples.

African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology

The African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) was initiated in 2010 as a permanent forum where African ministers convene every two years to discuss policy matters related to the development of meteorology and its applications and its contribution to the socio-economic development in Africa. 

WMO Offices in the Region
  • North, Central and West Africa
    • The WMO Office for North, Central and West Africa is located in Abuja, Nigera. The office was established in 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria and relocated to Abuja, Nigeria in 2005 following the transfer of the administrative Capital of Nigeria from Lagos to Abuja. The role of the office is to work with Members, regional institutions and development partners in strengthening capacities, for the provision of weather and climate services and water resources information, to stakeholders in climate-sensitive sectors, in contribution to enhanced socioeconomic development, disaster risk management and sustainable development. The Abuja office represents WMO in several international and regional institutions. The office covers 27 countries, five in North Africa, 15 in West Africa and seven in Central Africa. The Office initiated the provision of a daily weather forecast to the various actors in Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic. It conducted a post-disaster assessment of the mudslides in Freetown, Sierra Leone during August 2017. 
  • Eastern and Southern Africa
    • The WMO Office for Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, was established on 10 June 1998, and is the main contact point for the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) in the area to share data and information and collaborate on developing early warning systems and adaptation strategies. WMO is involved in capacity building of the NMHS in the region, sharing of weather/climate data and information and coordination of meteorological projects within the region. The Nairobi WMO Office represents WMO in several International and Regional institutions. The office covers the Eastern and Southern parts of the African continent which has 26 countries.

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Regional Training Centres

Regional Training Centres

There are 28 WMO Regional Training Centres, composed of 43 components, providing a diverse portfolio education and training opportunities through residence classes, distance-learning and blended learning.

Capacity development

Capacity development

WMO assists in the capacity development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services by developing and improving human resource as well as technical and institutional capacities and infrastructure, particularly in developing, least developed and small island developing states and territories.

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