High-level African officials discussed about the integration of AMESD environmental data, derived from Earth Observation technologies, into the decision making cycle in support of environmental management for sustainable development of natural resources in Africa. The discussion was made during the Second AMESD Forum which was held on 20-23 July 2011, in Balaclava, Mauritius, organized under the theme “AMESD Services and Products: achievements and perspectives in support of environmental management”.

The Forum was organized at a crucial stage of the African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) program, when the first version of environmental products and services are being made available by the five implementing regions in Africa, namely CEMAC, ECOWAS, IGAD, IOC, and SADC. Participants of the Forum who were from 46 African and five European countries highlighted on ways of penetrating these data into the decision making spheres at national, regional and continental levels in Africa.

Since the first AMESD Forum in December 2009, significant progress has been made in terms of improving data access with the deployment of 111 new satellite reception stations in 48 African countries, developing the first version of environmental products and services by the five Regional Implementing centres (RICs), reinforcing the technical level of African stakeholders and establishing regional networks with national focal points that begin to be operational. The satellite data are made available through the EUMETCast satellite telecommunication system and specific institutional agreements between African Union Commission and EUMETSAT (European organisation for the operation of Meteorological Satellites).

Mr. Devanand Virahsawmy-Gosk, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Mauritius expressed his appreciation of the achievements of AMESD since its inception. “This Second AMESD Forum is of particular significance for Africa, as we are facing continuously growing pressures for more land, water, energy and food as a result of climate change. For our very survival, we have no other choice than to build our capacity to face these climate related calamities,” said the Minister during his opening remarks.

The Forum was also an occasion to display how the AMESD achievements will be integrated in the follow-on project MESA (Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa) and future initiatives such as GMES (Global monitoring of Environment and Security) Africa.

Each RIC organized specific meeting (splinter session) with regional partners and stakeholder to discuss how to reinforce the AMESD regional networks toward an efficient delivery of AMESD services. As a result, a set of recommendations were issued and will be taken into account to enhance the implementation of regional thematic actions.

Representing the EU Delegation to the African Union, Ms Chiara Tardivo, indicated that the AMESD program is a concrete action within the Africa EU partnership on Climate Change and Environment, closely intertwined with other initiatives such as the Global Climate Change Alliance and the ClimDev Africa program. The Program has also synergies with actions under the 8th Partnership on Science, Information Society, and Space and will contribute to the development of the GMES Africa initiative.

H.E. Mrs. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner, Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission, also said that the Forum is an important event especially when the continent is about to host the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa. “We would like to consider showcasing some of the initiatives of the program at the forthcoming conference,” the Commissioner added.

The Forum was followed by a technical visit to the Albion Fisheries Research Centre in Mauritius, one of AMESD national partner institutions in Africa. In addition, exhibition describing the regional activities was inaugurated and displayed for the duration of the Forum. The Forum was organized in collaboration with the Government of Mauritius, the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the Mauritius Oceanography Institute (MOI).

The programme is implemented with the support of a Technical Assistance (TA) - a Consortium of four firms (THALES ALENIA SPACE-France, BRLi, IRD and Conzortio ITA) contracted by the AUC to assist in the management of the program (technical, administrative and financial) at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, and at the RICs’ level.

AMESD is conceived as a Pan African programme to promote the use of Earth Observation monitoring technologies in support of the development of policies in the management of the African environment and for sustainable development of natural resources. It is a partnership programme between the African Union Commission (AUC) and the European Union (EU). AUC has been mandated by the five participating Regional Economic Communities (RECs: CEMAC, ECOWAS, IGAD, IOC, and SADC) and by the ACP Secretariat, who are the program beneficiaries, to be in charge of the program implementation. It is funded under the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) at the level of €21 million.

Click here to have access to the 2nd AMESD Report and Presentations/Abstracts.