Fostering Education and Training Development and Collaboration in Lusophone Countries

The WMO Education and Training Office (ETR) joined forces with the National Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics (INAMET) to organize the Workshop on Education and Training Development and Collaboration in Lusophone Countries in Luanda, Angola, from 20 to 24 of November. The Portuguese language Workshop, which aimed to enhance meteorological collaboration in the Portuguese-speaking nations, attracted participants from Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé and Príncipe. The participating countries expressed their willingness to contribute to the enhancement of education and training initiatives, which will ultimately support the sustainable development of meteorological capabilities in their regions.

As a WMO-designated Regional Training Centre in Angola (RTC Angola), INAMET has been working in coordination with ETR to reinvigorate its international training activities for WMO Region I (Africa) since 2022. The Workshop marked a pivotal moment to fortify collaboration and discussion on the education and training needs of Lusophone countries. Dr João Afonso, Director, INAMET, and Permanent Representative of Angola to the WMO, highlighted that the Workshop offered an “opportunity to foster effective communication and understanding of training needs, and has the potential to catalyse the development of new partnerships that can significantly contribute to the capacity development of Lusophone countries.”

Mr Pascoal Borges Alé Fernandes, Secretary of State, Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technologies and Social Communication of Angola, affirmed that the Workshop was an important step for RTC Angola to reignite the interactions between Portuguese-speaking nations. A visit to the RTC Angola installations offered participants a first-hand opportunity to observe the modernization of INAMET, a project that is nearing completion. The participants also visited the meteorological facility at the recently inaugurated Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport. These visits stimulated discussions on the new capabilities of the RTC and heightened participants’ awareness of the education and training opportunities that can be facilitated by RTC Angola. 

Key outcomes of the Workshop reflect the commitment of Lusophone countries to advancing meteorological education and training:

• New partnerships were explored, and collaboration was recognized as essential for augmenting opportunities for education and training in Portuguese language
• A collaborative network was established to continue sharing information and resources in meteorological education and training
• Awareness of education and training opportunities supported by WMO and its partners in Portuguese and other languages was raised
• Education and training needs of participating countries were discussed, with training on the Basic Instruction Packages for meteorologists and meteorological technicians, climate services, and aviation, being identified as priorities for the next four years
• The capabilities of RTC Angola and Brazil to assist in addressing the unique challenge of enhancing education and training opportunities in the Portuguese language was highlighted.

The Workshop fostered cooperation and information exchange.  It demonstrated the commitment, and collaborative spirit, of WMO and its Members to building a meteorologically resilient future.