Statement on the occasion of the ECMWF’s 50th anniversary

Thank you for the opportunity to join the celebration of ECMWF’s 50th anniversary - an institution that has shaped not only the science of prediction, but the very architecture of global cooperation in weather and climate.
Fifty years is more than a milestone.

It is a measure of vision.

When ECMWF was founded in 1975, global numerical prediction was still taking shape. Observations were uneven, computing power was limited, and many countries lacked access to the tools that today safeguard lives and support economies. Yet from the beginning, our organizations chose to bridge these gaps together.

Notably, the first agreement between ECMWF and WMO was concluded in only three days. It set the tone for a partnership that has remained solid for five decades.

Fifty years on, ECMWF has become a cornerstone of the global prediction system. Its work — grounded in shared standards, open data and scientific rigour — contributes directly to WMO’s efforts to protect communities, support economic activity and enhance resilience worldwide.

In an era of rapid technological change and increasing climate variability, access to reliable, high-quality weather and climate information is essential. ECMWF’s forecasting systems demonstrate the impact of sustained scientific excellence combined with operational discipline and long-term commitment. Your forecasts save lives every day. They protect economies. They create confidence in institutions. And they give governments and communities something priceless: time to prepare. Time to anticipate.

Our collaboration is not accidental; it is engineered, it has also grown more essential — especially now, as climate extremes accelerate, geopolitics grows more fragile, and technology evolves faster than governance.

Let me highlight three ways in which this engineered cooperation takes shape in practice:

1. Open and shared foundations.

The gradual expansion of ECMWF’s open data policy — with more real-time fields planned for 2026 — will strengthen National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and enable innovation and research worldwide.

2. Operational support to countries.

Through the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), ECMWF provides dedicated real-time forecast datasets to 61 countries. For many of them, this data represents the difference between preparedness and vulnerability.

3. Innovation with practical impact.

ECMWF’s leadership in AI-enabled forecasting is opening new pathways for next-generation capability. The “Forecast in a Box” initiative, developed with the Norwegian Meteorological Service, is now being tested in Malawi — a concrete example of how advanced tools can support operational capacity where it is most needed.

These examples illustrate how national capabilities benefit from a strong regional centre such as ECMWF, and how this regional capability, in turn, connects to the global layer coordinated through WMO. This structure — national, regional, global — is a strategic asset for the entire prediction enterprise. 

On a personal note:

As a professor of numerical weather prediction in Argentina, I relied for many years on ECMWF’s openly shared training materials. They allowed me to bring advanced methods into the classroom and helped train students. For many of us in Latin America, ECMWF offered a clear illustration of what effective regional cooperation could look like. Scientists in other regions — including Africa — have viewed it in the same way: as a model worth following. The WMO Fellow Programme reflects this spirit. By hosting forecasters from developing countries for a year of mutual learning, ECMWF helps build capabilities that extend far beyond Europe. 

Every time we check the weather, we rely on something bigger than technology — we rely on international trust, data, and cooperation. Reliable forecasts don’t happen by accident. They are made possible by a system of global solidarity.   ECMWF is a key part of this global solidarity. 

As someone who has devoted my life to this profession — and who still feels a deep sense of wonder at what science can do — I want to express my sincere gratitude to the entire ECMWF community: past and present Council members, scientists, technicians, model developers, forecasters, computing and data specialists, and all staff whose work turns equations into protection.

On behalf of WMO, thank you for fifty years of partnership and commitment. We look forward to continuing this work with you — strengthening prediction, supporting Members and contributing to a safer and more resilient world.

Congratulations on this anniversary.  

Footnote: The current fellow, Ruth Mahubessy from BMKG Indonesia, is with us today — a reminder of how expertise circulates and strengthens institutions worldwide.