ClimSA calls for climate forecasts to drive early action across Central Africa

Kigali hosted the opening of the 22nd Regional Climate Outlook Forum for the 11 Central African countries. The opening session issued a collective call to transform climate forecasts into practical decisions that protect lives, livelihoods and development gains across the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) region.

The Forum de Prévisions Saisonnières en Afrique Centrale (PRESAC-22) is convened by the African Union Commission, through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE), under its continental Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) programme. The five-day Forum brings together climatologists, hydrologists, agrometeorologists, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), regional institutions and sectoral users. In parallel, meteorology directors from the 11 Central African countries are holding a side meeting to discuss the development of weather and climate services in the region. During the first three days, participants developed a consensus regional climate outlook for September to December 2026 and translate it into early warning information. During the remainder of the Forum, producers and sectoral users will review advisories for agriculture & food security, health, water resources, disaster risk reduction, energy and other climate-sensitive sectors.

The opening remarks emphasised that PRESAC-22 must deliver more than a technically sound forecast. They called for stronger cooperation between climate-information producers and users, sustained regional capacity, coordinated communication and timely action in preparation for the anticipated 2026 to 2027 El Niño conditions.

Mr. Aimable Gahigi, Director of Rwanda Meteorology, welcomed participants to Kigali and reaffirmed Rwanda's commitment to regional cooperation on weather, climate and early warning services. He highlighted the importance of bringing technical institutions and sectoral users together to strengthen preparedness for climate-related risks across Central Africa. "Rwanda's hosting of PRESAC-22 reflects the country's support for the implementation of ClimSA and for stronger collaboration among the ECCAS Member States." He encouraged participants to use the five-day Forum to produce practical outcomes that strengthen regional resilience and improve the application of climate information in national and sectoral planning.

Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD), Dr Ousmane Ndiaye, Dr Pierre Kamsu presented three priorities for PRESAC-22: (i) transforming forecasts into action; (ii) producing climate knowledge collaboratively; and (iii) establishing systems that will endure beyond the anticipated El Niño episode. "A climate outlook that remains confined to a bulletin protects no one," he said. He explained that the regional forecast must reach the farmer deciding when to plant, the health official preparing for climate-sensitive diseases, the water manager planning resource allocation, and the engineer protecting critical infrastructure early enough for each to act. Dr. Kamsu stressed that the strength of a Regional Climate Outlook Forum lies in bringing climate-information producers and users together. "When scientists and sectoral users sit at the same table, forecasts become advisories, and advisories become decisions that protect communities," he said.

He further called for the Forum to strengthen the RCC- Climate Prediction and Applications Centre for Central Africa (CAPC-AC), consolidate regional user-interface platforms and lay the foundations for a coordinated early warning system across the ECCAS region. "What we are building here goes beyond El Niño. Resilience cannot be imported; it must be built together," he concluded. "We should leave Kigali not only with a forecast, but also with a plan, a partnership and a promise to the people we serve."

Representing the Director General of the AGRHYMET Regional Climate Centre (RCC), Mr. Mandela emphasised the importance of South-South cooperation among Africa's climate and hydrometeorological institutions. He noted that seasonal forecasts are essential for planning and must respond to the practical needs of users. He concluded by reminding the experts in the room to use PRESAC-22 as a platform where climatologists, hydrologists and agrometeorologists can combine their expertise to produce complementary climate information that supports informed decision-making.

"The users are waiting for us, and our responsibility as technical experts is to produce forecasts that are genuinely useful to them," he said. Mr Mandela encouraged participating experts to remain actively engaged throughout the technical sessions and to make every effort to produce clear, reliable and usable information for governments, institutions and communities.

Speaking on behalf of the Director of the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre for Central Africa (CAPC-AC), Mr Pierre Balomongo recognised Rwanda's participation and hospitality as a demonstration of its commitment to the implementation of ClimSA and to regional cooperation within ECCAS. Highlighted progress made under the AUC-ClimSA programme in strengthening climate services in Central Africa. These achievements include support for regional sectoral platforms (UIPs), national climate databases (CDMS), agrometeorological services and forecasts; training and cross-fertilisation workshops; regional and national climate forums; the establishment of a regional technical expert platform; and the deployment of numerical weather prediction and climate-modelling infrastructure (PUMA and ClimSA e-stations) across ECCAS Member States.

Mr. Balomongo stated that PRESAC-22 provides an opportunity to consolidate these investments by strengthening regional technical cooperation and improving the production, exchange and application of climate information. He encouraged participants to ensure that the Forum's forecasts and sectoral advisories are translated into practical preparedness and response measures across the region.

Delivering remarks on behalf of Dr Jolly Wasambo, ClimSA Programme Coordinator at the African Union Commission, Mr Atupele Mwakalinga stressed that climate information creates value only when it reaches the people and institutions that need it in a form they can understand and use. He explained that previous El Niño episodes demonstrated how climate variability can contribute to flooding, landslides, disrupted rainfall patterns, reduced agricultural production and increased food-security risks. PRESAC-22 is therefore an important platform for climate scientists, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), policymakers, regional institutions and sectoral users to develop a shared understanding of the seasonal outlook and translate it into practical action.

"Our ambition must go beyond producing forecasts. We must transform forecasts into decisions, decisions into early action, and early action into reduced risk and stronger resilience," Mr Mwakalinga said. He outlined the key priorities expected from the Forum: (i) producing a scientifically robust and clearly communicated outlook for September to December 2026; (ii) developing sector-specific advisories and early warning messages; (iii) strengthening users' ability to interpret climate information; (iv) advancing the governance and operationalisation of regional user-interface platforms; and (v) agreeing on mechanisms for coordinated communication during the El Niño period.

Mr. Mwakalinga also highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening CAPC-AC during its demonstration phase as it works towards fulfilling the mandatory functions of a Regional Climate Centre. He said successful regional climate services require strong institutions, effective governance, sustained technical capacity, data-sharing mechanisms and ownership by Member States and regional institutions. "The true measure of our success will not only be the quality of the forecast we produce, but the extent to which it enables governments, communities and sectors to anticipate risks, prepare early and take appropriate action," he said.

He concluded by calling on participants to ensure that the knowledge, lessons and recommendations generated in Kigali are translated into action at regional, national and sectoral levels. "Let us turn early warning into early action and work together to build a more resilient ECCAS region."

By 2027, the ClimSA Programme will contribute to improvements in the following areas:

1. Pillar 1: Strengthening User Interface Platforms
   Facilitating engagement and dialogue so that climate information products meet on-the-ground needs.
2. Pillar 2: Provision of Climate Services
   Strengthening the operations and services of RCCs and NMHSs so that climate services are reliable and sustained.
3. Pillar 3: Access to Climate Information
   Enhancing observation, monitoring, modelling, prediction and data-sharing infrastructure.
4. Pillar 4: Capacity Building
   Building the technical and institutional capacity of RCCs, NMHSs, decision-makers and stakeholders.
5. Pillar 5: Climate-Informed Decision-Making
   Ensuring that climate services inform planning, development, adaptation and resilience strategies.

The full delivery of the ClimSA and SEWA programme actions will strengthen Africa's ability to reduce its dependency on external climate data services and enhance sovereign capacity in climate risk management.

ClimSA contributes directly to the operationalisation of the Integrated African Meteorology Strategy (weather, water, and climate services) for 2021 to 2030; aligns with Agenda 2063; and support the AU Strategy on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (2022 - 2032).

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Atupele Mwakalinga | ClimSA Programme Senior M&E Officer | Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy | African Union Commission | [email protected] | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ms. Diana Chacha | ClimSA Programme Communications and Visibility Officer | African Union Commission | E-mail: [email protected]| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

For media enquiries:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Senior Communication Officer, Information and Communications Directorate, AU Commission | Email: [email protected]

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