Executive Council opens with new office holders
The WMO Executive Council is meeting with new office holders and members elected by the World Meteorological Congress.
New WMO President Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) in the United Arab Emirates and erstwhile President of the Regional Association for Asia, chaired the Executive Council meeting.
It is the first time that a Gulf Cooperation Council meteorologist has been named as the president of WMO. He succeeds Prof. Gerhard Adrian of Germany who completed his four-year term and will work closely with new WMO Secretary-General Prof. Celeste Saulo, who takes up office on 1 January 2024..
Congress also elected Daouda Konate (Cote d'Ivoire) as First Vice-President, Eoin Moran (Ireland) Second Vice-President, and Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra (India) Third Vice-President. A new Executive Council was also elected.
The quadrennial Congress ended its two-week session on 2 June, having approved a new strategic plan and priorities including the Early Warnings for All initiative and a new Global Greenhouse Gas Watch.
Following his election, Abdulla Al Mandous, said, “It is my great honor to be elected as the President of WMO and serve the global weather and climate community in this role. I extend my gratitude to the Member States for their trust and confidence in my capabilities to guide and coordinate WMO’s activities in this era of changing climate. With the continued support of all members, I look forward to building upon the remarkable work of my predecessors and strengthening WMO's role in accelerating the development of comprehensive early warning systems, advancing scientific research, and ensuring the effective dissemination of weather-related information to communities around the world.”
Al Mandous addd, “In line with WMO’s strategy to support its Members, particularly their NMHSs, my focus will be on enhancing the resilience of nations to weather and climate-related hazards, strengthening service delivery, promoting knowledge-sharing and capacity building, and increasing the recognition and understanding of WMO’s specialized work, among other priorities. With the collective efforts of Member states, I am confident that WMO will continue to play a vital role in shaping the global meteorological agenda, promoting sustainable development, and fostering international cooperation in the face of increasing weather-related challenges.”
The WMO President presides over the Sessions of World Meteorological Congress and the Executive Council which guides WMO activities in research and services related to weather, water and climate.