The Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) is prone to extreme climate events such as droughts and floods. Whereas there is a preponderance of information on climate and related services, the diverse target groups make the structured use of such information problematic. This is because the diverse recipients of the information react to it in different ways owing to cultural and environmental factors. The media are a central partner in climate information dissemination; however, it is vital to develop synergy between key stakeholders to effectively reach out to all.
In response to the pressing need for enhanced climate services, ICPAC, in partnership with NORCAP through EU-funded CONFER project, is organising a Synergy Building Training Workshop to recap a series of previous workshops, focusing on overcoming challenges in climate service delivery and bridging existing gaps for more effective outcomes. To date, 5 workshops have been held in 5 different countries in the region, each bringing together stakeholders from 2 countries.
The forthcoming workshop is designed to enhance the capabilities of ICPAC/CONFER partners, NMHSs, and East African stakeholders. It aims to foster a collaborative environment among meteorological authorities, policymakers, the private sector, and media professionals. The focus is on the effective use of, communication about, and dissemination of climate data provided by NMHSs and ICPAC.
The 2-day workshop—drawing participants from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi—will involve hands-on sessions on how to access and use these applications to monitor hazards in the region and how to interpret the risk information for communication and decision-making. The exercise will enable participants to draw a clear line between all interlinked scenarios and interpretations for key information, especially for the media, to ensure better reporting.
Key Training Topics:
- Review of past workshops to strengthen synergy across sectors.
- Learning about early warning systems and digital climate information platforms.
- Discussions on user needs and engagement strategies.
- Development of a regional action plan for weather and climate engagement.
Result Framework Goals:
- Sharing progress and insights from past workshops.
- Reinforcing partnerships among NMHSs, policymakers, the private sector, and journalists.
- Identifying mutual interests and outlining future joint activities.
- Engaging policymakers in a tripartite collaboration.
- Familiarizing with new platforms for climate information dissemination.