• The United Arab Emirates has won the presidency of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

• Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) in the UAE, has been elected as the new president of WMO for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027. He will succeed Gerhard Adrian of Germany. 

• Mandous is Permanent Representative of UAE with WMO since 2008 and president of the Regional Association for Asia since 2017. Mandous takes over the Presidency immediately after the World Meteorological Congress. The United Arab Emirates will host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December this year.

• Celeste Saulo of Argentina has been appointed as the first female Secretary-General of the WMO. Saulo is currently the first vice-president of WMO. She will take office on January 1, 2024 and succeeds Petteri Taalas, who has completed his two-term mandate.

• Daouda Konate (Ivory Coast) was elected first vice-president, Eoin Moran  (Ireland) second vice-president, and  Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra (India) third vice-president. 

• A new Executive Council was also elected.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations. 

• It is the UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.

• The WMO membership comprises 187 States and 6 territories.

• It originated from the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), which was founded in 1873.

• Established in 1950, WMO became the specialised agency of the UN in 1951 for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. 

• WMO facilitates the free and unrestricted exchange of data and information, products and services in real or near-real time on matters relating to safety and security of society, economic welfare and the protection of the environment. It contributes to policy formulation in these areas at national and international levels.

• WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 193 States and territories so that basic weather, climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them.

Governance

• The World Meteorological Congress is the supreme body of WMO. 

• The Executive Council implements its decisions, while six Regional Associations are responsible for the coordination of meteorological, hydrological and related activities within their respective Regions.

• The WMO has a president and three vice-presidents who preside over Congress and of the Executive Council.

• The Secretariat, headquartered in Geneva, is headed by the Secretary-General.

• The Secretary-General is appointed by the World Meteorological Congress for a four-year term with a maximum tenure of 8 years. The Secretary-General is responsible for the overall technical and administrative work of the Secretariat.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store