Tanzania is set to deepen its cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in efforts to strengthen weather and climate services that support key sectors of the economy.
The commitment was made by WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo during talks with the Director General of the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), Ladislaus Chang’a, held on February 27 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 70th session of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), where Dr Chang’a also serves as vice-chair and Tanzania’s permanent representative to WMO.
During the discussions, Prof Saulo commended Tanzania for the progress made in improving meteorological services and reaffirmed the organisation’s readiness to continue supporting the country.
“I am pleased with the progress made in delivering weather services in Tanzania. As WMO, we are ready to continue working with the country to further improve these services, including linking you with other advanced institutions to enhance knowledge sharing,” she said.
She added that WMO will continue supporting Tanzania through its global programmes, including the use of artificial intelligence technologies to improve the entire chain of weather and climate service delivery.
Dr Chang’a thanked WMO for its continued technical support to TMA through several international initiatives aimed at strengthening climate services and early warning systems.
He cited programmes such as Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems for Eastern Africa (CREWS-EA), the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), and the Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) as key drivers in improving meteorological services in the country.
“These programmes have played a significant role in strengthening weather services in Tanzania and complement the large investments made by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania in modernising meteorological infrastructure and building professional capacity,” said Dr Chang’a.
He noted that improvements made through these initiatives have enabled TMA experts to support other African countries in strengthening their meteorological services.
According to Dr Chang’a, TMA specialists have recently provided technical assistance to national meteorological agencies in Burundi, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.
He added that discussions are ongoing with other countries including Zambia, Sierra Leone and Uganda on areas where Tanzania can provide technical support.
Among the areas where TMA experts have shared expertise include quality management systems and competency assessment, severe weather forecasting, numerical weather prediction using computer models, legal frameworks governing meteorological services, and the delivery of public weather services.
Dr Chang’a also thanked WMO for supporting Tanzania in hosting major global meteorological events, including the Fourth WMO Operational Climate Prediction meeting (OCP-4).
The international meeting, which will bring together leading climate prediction experts to discuss advances in climate forecasting and emerging technologies, is scheduled to take place in Arusha from late June to early July 2026.
The event will mark the first time the conference is held in Africa and is expected to strengthen knowledge exchange among global and African climate experts while promoting the use of weather and climate services across economic and social sectors.