On 20 November 2024, a side event titled "Building Domestic Capacity for Effective Adaptation and Resilient Economic Development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the ACP regions" took place at the CARICOM Pavilion during COP29. Jointly organised by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the event brought together key stakeholders to discuss solutions for building resilience in some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

 

 

Recognising these vulnerabilities, the Intra-ACP Climate Services and related applications (ClimSA) Programme, an initiative of the OACPS Secretariat funded by the European Union with EUR 85 million under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), is contributing to building capacity of regional and national agencies to address climate change adaptation needs. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of decision-makers to effectively utilise climate information and services in policy development, and in turn promote sustainable development in line with the UNFCCC and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Opening the event, the moderator and Project Director, Mr Ottavio Novelli from the AESA Consortium, expressed his satisfaction at seeing that, six years after its inception, the Programme has achieved a level of development and impact that reflects its maturity. He highlighted the significant scientific advancements and practical benefits for end-users attained by the OACPS’ Regional Climate Centres (RCCs). He emphasised that the solutions developed are highly relevant for mitigating the impacts of extreme climate events in SIDS.

The keynote remarks were delivered by Dr Dieudonné Nsadisa Faka, Team Leader of the Programme, on behalf of the OACPS. He outlined in detail the Programme’s primary objective, which is to support the eight Regional Climate Centres under the regional delegation grant contracts managed by the European Union Delegation offices in the OACPS sub-regions. The Programme provides practical assistance in the demonstration of the climate services value chain to 13 pilot countries across the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions. He emphasised that the event aimed to share the success stories the lessons learned during the Programme’s execution.

The first speaker, Mr Godefroid Nshimirimana, Senior meteorologist at ACMAD, one of the eight RCCs targeted by the ClimSA Programme, highlighted the achievements and challenges faced in enhancing regional and national capacities to generate and apply climate information and products. Between July 2021 and November 2024, 42 experts from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) across 19 countries received training in key areas such as nowcasting, synoptic forecasting and climate monitoring, as well as seasonal climate forescasting. Additionally, 11 master’s students from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) gained hands-on experience in forecasting tools, resilient agricultural systems and data analysis. Initiatives like the African Continental Climate Outlook Forum (ACCOF) have substantially improved regional coordination and harmonisation of climate data and tools. Also, he mentioned that pre-Regional Climate Outlook Forum (pre-RCOF) sessions and user interactive platforms were introduced to adapt continental climate tools to national needs. These innovative incentives are some of the examples of how ClimSA Programme is helping to build stakeholders capacity, disseminate best practices, improve forecast quality and enhance early warning systems for climate resilience across Africa.

The second speaker, Ms Gina Bonne, Head of Climate Change and Environment at the IOC and Manager of the Hydromet Programme -which includes the ClimSA initiative- shared insights into the Programme’s tailored approach to capacity building. Acknowledging that each participating country is at a different stage of development and capability, she explained how the Programme addresses these disparities. For instance, some countries currently rely on importing expertise from outside the region; under the Programme, they will benefit from strengthening local capacity through regional training centres, such as the one in Madagascar. Ms Bonne also highlighted the emphasis on promoting intra-African cooperation to maximise the resources of the WMO-accredited regional climate centres, i.e. ACMAD and ICPAC. The Programme has also engaged with institutions such as the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), to identify how their expertise and resources can contribute to the climate resilience efforts in the Indian Ocean region. Her intervention exemplified a truly dynamic and collaborative effort to build sustainable capacity within the SIDS context.

The third speaker, Professor Mansur Bako Matazu, a Climate Expert at ACMAD, outlined the history and current status of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet). In partnership with the WMO-recognised Regional Training Centre (RTC), NiMet has been instrumental in transferring skills and competencies both nationally and internationally. Recognising the importance of collaborating with stakeholders to maximise the use of data and expertise, NiMet has established robust partnerships with 20 universities and secondary education institutions across Nigeria, effectively bridging the gap between research in climate and weather and data observation and use. NiMet is also educating the wider population by engaging decision-makers and local communities through partnerships and mass media initiatives. A key achievement has been the downscaling of seasonal climate predictions, in collaboration with research institutes, to reach 80% of the population within just two years. With the support of ClimSA, ACMAD would like to upscale the Nigeria’s model of multi-stakeholder capacity building, to facilitate South-South cooperation among meteorological services across Africa and beyond.

Dr Dieudonné Nsadisa Faka, Team Leader of the ClimSA Programme, explained how ClimSA is building on countries’ experiences to promote cross-fertilisation in capacity building. South-South cooperation is central to ClimSA, as there is no need to look far for expertise—neighbouring countries can share knowledge and inspire one another. For example, ClimSA organises annual forums to facilitate such exchanges. South-South cooperation is also a key mandate of the OACPS, which aims to bring regions together to promote mutual learning and cooperation. Dr Faka provided a comprehensive overview of the results of the survey conducted by ClimSA across the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions to identify regional needs. Some of the key findings included: the critical need to raise awareness among all stakeholders to ensure adequate domestic capacity to address climate change; the adoption of innovative approaches -such as artificial intelligence- to capacity building; the need to bridge the gap between the production of climate information and its practical application by policymakers and practitioners; the multidisciplinary nature of climate impacts; and the fragmentation of climate-related information.

To respond to these needs, a capacity building strategy has been developed by the ClimSA Programme—a cornerstone document based on evidence and the ‘five As’ principle: Available, Accurate; Accessible; Actionable; and Assessable. This resource is freely available for download on the dedicated page of the ClimSA website.

The event raised awareness among stakeholders of domestic solutions to climate change adaptation, while identifying agreed strategies to enhance capacity-building in geographically isolated SIDS. It also promoted the exchange of expertise and best practices among SIDS and beyond, strengthening collaborative efforts to build resilience.

The discussions highlighted the importance of investing in climate services and empowering regional and national experts to lead these efforts. Through platforms such as ClimSA, SIDS are charting a course towards a sustainable and resilient future.

For more information, download the Concept Note and the presentations below.

download the concept note

download the presentation by ACMAD

download the presentation by NiMET-ACMAD

download the presentation by OACPS