The UAE participates in the meeting of the Arab Cabinet concerned with meteorology and climate
Cairo, April 17/ WAM/ The United Arab Emirates participated in the meeting of the Arab Cabinet concerned with meteorology and climate, which was held today, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, in the presence of those involved in Arab meteorology.
The state was represented by a delegation headed by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al -Mandous, Director General of the National Meteorological Center, President of the World Meteorological Organization.
Al -Mandous said, in his speech during the meeting as head of the World Meteorological Organization, that the Arab region faces great challenges, foremost of which is the accelerated trend of high temperatures exceeding the global average, which led to an increase in the repetition of extremist weather phenomena, as well as the sharp water scarcity that threatens the Arab economies.
He pointed to what the United Nations reports stated that our region incurred economic losses estimated at about $ 60 billion as a result of drought, earthquakes, and floods, with significant human losses.
He said that the population of urban areas in the Arab world has doubled by four times, and is expected to double again during the coming decades, which constitutes tremendous pressure on infrastructure and resources.
Al -Mandous stressed that the earthquakes that struck Syria and Morocco, the unprecedented floods in Libya as a result of the storm “Daniel”, and repeated drought, are all a reminder of the need for effective strategies to manage risk and enhance the ability to face climate change.
Al -Mandous said that the continuous increase in the frequency and intensity of extremist weather phenomena, such as Hurricane Juno, Sajar, and “Kayar”, highlights the need for our willingness, increasing our potential and ready to deal with such phenomena.
He added that these escalating risks will be aggravated if we do not block the gap in financing adaptation, rapid urban expansion, and the possibility of displacement caused by climate change, requires a decisive and decisive response.
Al -Mandous called for strengthening ties between national meteorological services, disaster response organizations and local communities.
He said that our Arab region has effective early warning systems that are not just technological progress, but rather a lifeline for the most vulnerable groups in the face of increased climate shocks in their severity.
He stressed that preparing an integrated Arab regional strategic plan, in addition to the effective follow -up to its implementation, is a very important matter for our Arab region.
He pointed out that with the start of the World Meteorological Organization to prepare its strategic plan for the period 2028-2031, we have an opportunity that he would have to integrate unique challenges and urgent needs of the Arab region within the organization’s plan.
He urged active and pivotal participation in the current planning process of the organization’s strategic plan for the period 2028-2031.
Al -Mandous stressed that it is a pivotal moment for the Arab region to ensure that our priorities in the fields of meteorology and hydrology are not only listened to, but are actually integrated within the comprehensive strategic and operational plans of the World Meteorological Organization.
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