AMESD achievements were presented on 22nd of November 2011 to EU civil servants from various Directorates General (DGs) during the 2nd Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) Preparatory Workshop. The workshop was hosted by the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), which took place in Brussels from 21 to 23 November 2011.

Representatives of the African Union Commission, Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and five African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) performed the presentation focusing on currently available AMESD products and services and their positive impact on the regions and the continent as a whole. It showed how AMESD has improved access to Earth observation data, established operational information services, and strengthened political and policy frameworks.

The MESA workshop was attended by representatives of various African and European institutions, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Bureau, EU Delegation to the African Union (AU), and EUMETSAT.

The workshop took place a few days before the review of the MESA project by the EDF Committee, which is expected to take a final decision on the funding of the project soon.

The MESA project is a continuation of the Preparation for the Use of Meteosat Second Generation in Africa (PUMA) and AMESD activities. MESA is planned to be funded by the 10th EDF and will start in 2012, ensuring continuity of efforts at the end of AMESD.

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The 11th AMESD Thematic Experts Meeting (TEM 11) was held on 7 and 8 November 2011 at AMESD Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the objective to discuss the status of the continental and regional programme implementation. The meeting also dwelt on handing over strategy to the program coordination and to the Regional Implementation Centres (RICs) for sustainability of actions after the end of AMESD Technical Assistance Service Contract in June 2012.

Participants of TEM 11

Attendants of the meeting included the AMESD TA Team Leader, Technical Experts of AMESD Technical Assistance, AMESD Regional Implementation Centres (RICs) and the Delegation of European Union to African Union.

The experts’ meeting was followed by the Complementary Pilot Service Review, 9 - 11 November 2011, of which the operational thematic informational services of the five AMESD RICs were reviewed. The Review is part of a process put in place by the AMESD Technical Assistance to ensure the quality of products and services in support to decision making.

One of the five AMESD Regional Implementation Centres (RICs), Commission Internationale du bassin Congo – Oubangui – Sangha (CICOS), has released AMESD water level alert bulletin that indicates the daily prediction of water levels on the Ubangi River, the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River of Central Africa, in Zinga - a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the historical Kivu region of the country.

CEMAC region is mainly affected by environmental challenges such as water fluctuation on Congo River triggering navigation and agricultural problems, affecting development of hydropower, and other hydraulic infrastructural challenges. The information contained in this bulletin is mostly directed to help navigators and authorities responsible of navigation on Congo River to plan and regulate the transportation in critical periods of low water level.

The 6th meeting of the Programme Steering Committee (PSC 6) of the African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) programme took place in Addis Ababa from 11th to 13th October 2011. The meeting was followed by MESA Preparation Status Meeting until the end of the week. MESA (Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa) project is the successor of AMESD.