The Democratic Republic of Congo is taking action to enhance its operational meteorological capabilities to provide accurate weather forecasting and warnings to its population.
With the support of the Ecole Africaine de la Météorologie et de l'Aviation Civile (EAMAC), CREWS Democratic Republic of the Congo and CREWS Central Africa, and guided by the WMO Education and Training Programme (ETRP), a course focusing on capacity building and skills development has been carried out within the country's meteorological sector.
The course, which took place from 19 August to 6 September 2024 in Kinshasa, aimed at enhancing the meteorological expertise of Institut Supérieur des Techniques Appliquées (ISTA) lectors and forecasters from the Agence nationale de météorologie et de télédétection par satellite (METTELSAT).
A total of 28 forecasters and 5 lecturers participated in the training, which focused on building both pedagogical and operational skills in meteorology. Participants were introduced to the analysis of the synoptic weather situation and the application of global products for the development of weather forecasting bulletins.
EAMAC, led by Kone Diakaria, and WMO ETRP, represented by Paul Bugeac, have proposed a long-term joint capacity development plan aimed at strengthening collaboration between academia and operational meteorological services in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This would allow ISTA to provide training in fundamental meteorology in the future, and trained METTELSAT forecasters to support internships or practical sessions, seeking to build strong capabilities in the next generation of meteorologists.
