FORUM ANNOUNCEMENT

THE THIRTEENTH CLIMATE OUTLOOK FORUM FOR THE GREATER HORN OF AFRICA (GHA) SUB-REGION – GHACOF13

VENUE: Nairobi, Kenya

DATE: 25 – 27 February 2004

INTRODUCTION

Extreme climate events such as drought, floods etc. have devastating socio-economic impacts in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). ICPAC provides regular 10-day, monthly and seasonal climate monitoring, prediction and early warning products. Consensus climate outlooks are also provided regularly before the onset of the major rainfall seasons in collaboration with several climate centres. Twelve consensus seasonal climate outlooks have been provided regularly since 1998. The thirteenth Climate Outlook Forum for the Greater Horn of Africa (GHACOF13) will be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 25 to 27 February 2004. The forum will be held within the framework of the USAID/OFDA funded project "Sustainable generation and applications of climate information, products and services for disaster preparedness and sustainable development in the Greater Horn of Africa".
The forum will have two components. The first two days will be devoted to the Capacity Building workshop for the users with the theme as "Applications of climate information and products in the Food security and other climate sensitive sectors in the Greater Horn of Africa".

The second component of the forum is expected to bring together scientists from within and outside the sub-region involved in seasonal climate prediction, the user community and decision-makers. Its main objective is to develop a consensus climate outlook for the March to May 2004 rainfall season. It will specifically discuss the potential impacts of the consensus climate outlook on Food security and Health among other socio-economic sectors and develop mitigation strategies. The forum will also review how the users applied the September to December 2003 consensus climate outlook developed at the GHACOF12.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the forum will be to:

• Review of the impacts of the recent climate extremes;
• Review of the current state of the global and regional climate including their potential effects on the climate of the GHA;
• Review of the state of the regional / national Food security, Health etc.;
• Assess how the sub-region has been using the forecasts and associated information that have been issued in past fora;
• Develop a consensus forecast for the March to May 2004 period;
• Assess the potential socio-economic impacts of the consensus forecast and develop mitigation strategies;
• Disseminate the information generated at the forum to high-level decision-makers, governments, international, regional and non-governmental organizations, the media and the general public.
  

PARTICIPANTS

Participants will include climate prediction experts from the National Meteorological/Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) and climate scientists from universities, research institutions, as well as regional and international organizations engaged in climate modeling, prediction and applications for the sub-region. The focal points in the Food Security sector, Health and the media will also participate. In addition, users of climate information and prediction products from other socio-economic sectors will be represented. Various regional and international Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations and the donor community will also be present.

CO-OPERATING INSTITUTIONS

It is expected that the following institutions will participate at the forum:
Institut Géographique du Burundi; Météorologie Nationale de Djibouti; Eritrea Meteorological Service; National Meteorological Services Agency of Ethiopia; Kenya Meteorological Department; Rwanda Meteorological Service; Somalia Meteorological Services; Sudan Meteorological Authority; Tanzania Meteorological Agency; Uganda Department of Meteorology; IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre; Drought Monitoring Centre, Harare; ACMAD; International Research Institute for Climate Prediction (IRI); World Meteorological Organization; European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts; NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction, North Carolina State University, the United Kingdom Meteorological Office; NOAA/Office of Global Programs; University of Nairobi; USAID/OFDA; USAID/REDSO; Regional Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS-NET) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) among others.

WORKING LANGUAGE

English will be the working language for the forum.

PARTICIPATION SPONSORSHIP

Participating Organizations are expected to sponsor their nominees. However, there will be limited sponsorship for needy users by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, through the support from NOAA/ OGP. It should be noted that the day to day ICPAC operations and application activities are supported through two projects funded by USAID/REDSO and USAID/OFDA. Requests for sponsorship should reach ICPAC by February 10, 2004.

Note:* The 10th IGAD summit of heads of states and governments held in Kampala Uganda on October 24th, 2003 adopted the change of the name of the Drought Monitoring Centre, Nairobi (DMCN) to IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC

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