INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

THE SECOND CONTINENTAL JOINT CLIMSA AND SEWA FORUM

WHAT:           The Joint Second Forum on Climate Services and Space for Early Warning in Africa (ClimSA–SEWA) to be held under the theme Accelerating Access to Climate and Weather Services for Resilient African Economies and Communities.

The Second ClimSA Forum aims to shed light on the impact of the ClimSA programme on climate-based policy and decision-making and its contributions to better climate risk management, development and adaptation planning, and the promotion of climate-friendly actions across the continent. The overall objective of the forum is to promote constructive exchanges between policy makers, practitioners and the public on ClimSA's successes in addressing Africa’s climate-related challenges. It will serve as a platform to share experiences, explore future perspectives and examine complementarities with other continental initiatives.

                            WHEN:         23–27 June 2025

                            WHERE:       Windhoek, Republic of Namibia (Movenpick Hotel).

                            WHY:            Africa is among the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change, yet it has some of the lowest levels of access to climate services. Enhancing weather forecasting and climate information systems is vital to building resilience in key sectors including agriculture, health, energy, water, and disaster risk reduction.

ClimSA and SEWA are initiatives that aim to transform how African countries anticipate, plan, and act on climate-related threats through:

• Improved data access
• Strengthened institutional capacities
• Space-based early warning systems
• Policy integration and public engagement

Furthermore, the forum aims to highlight the achievements of ClimSA and how the ClimSA and SEWA initiatives influence policy development frameworks, informed decision-making processes and climate-friendly actions across Africa. The forum will also raise awareness of the benefits of using climate services and find ways to promote the uptake and use of climate services for sustainable development.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

The session will be open for a media coverage. The forum will provide access to:

• A high-level opening session of the ClimSA-SEWA Forum.

Opening statements by African Union Commission, AU Member States, Development Partners, Government of Namibia and relevant high-level dignitaries.

• Interviews with AU officials, meteorological experts, and community representatives
• Photo/video coverage of exhibitions and field visits
• Access to exclusive briefings and technical sessions
• Stories on real-world impact of climate services in African communities

Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes of the ClimSA-SEWA Forum include:

• Showcase impact of climate services across Africa
• Promote knowledge exchange and regional coordination
• Highlight space-based technologies for early warning
• Foster new partnerships for sustainability and innovation

PARTICIPANTS:

The second CilmSA & SEWA Forum brings together African Union Member States, regional climate centers, meteorological services, policymakers, scientists, journalists, and development partners for a high-level convening focused on expanding access to user-driven, actionable climate and weather services.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Africa faces heightened vulnerability to climate variability and change, with increasing occurrences of droughts, desertification, floods, pest outbreaks, and tropical cyclones. The continent’s strong reliance on rainfed agriculture and the large proportion of its population engaged in climate-sensitive livelihoods compound these risks. Communities with limited resources and adaptive capacity are disproportionately affected, making the region particularly sensitive to seasonal climate variability and extreme weather events.

The accelerating pace of climate change is expected to intensify these challenges, increasing the frequency and severity of extreme events. This places further strain on socio-economic development and undermines progress towards critical continental and global goals such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement. Key sectors including agriculture, water resources, energy, infrastructure, health, and disaster risk reduction are especially vulnerable, underscoring the urgent need for targeted, actionable climate and weather services.

Despite occupying nearly one-fifth of the world’s landmass, Africa has the least developed land-based observation network of any continent. This lack of a robust, sustainable observation system limits the ability to provide effective climate services. Additionally, the delivery of existing services often falls short due to barriers related to accessibility, affordability, localization, and communication. As of 2024, only about 40% of Africa’s population has access to effective early warning systems. This gap highlights the pressing need for improved climate information dissemination, investment in monitoring infrastructure, and strengthened institutional capacities.

The need for effective climate services and robust early warning systems has never been more urgent. In this context, the African Union Commission (AUC), with the support of the European Union (EU), is spearheading transformative initiatives to enhance climate resilience across the continent.

The two flagship programmes—the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) and Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA)—are at the forefront of this agenda. ClimSA aims to close the climate information services gap in African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries by promoting integrated, end-user-oriented climate services across sectors such as agriculture, health, energy, water, agriculture and disaster risk reduction. Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) complements this by leveraging space-based technologies to strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS), disaster risk management, and climate adaptation.

In Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC) leads coordination efforts, supported by Regional Economic Communities (RECs), regional climate organizations, and six key Regional Climate Centres (RCCs): AGRHYMET (ECOWAS), CAPC-AC (ECCAS), ICPAC (IGAD), SADC Climate Services Centre (SADC), RCC Network (IOC) and ACMAD (continental level). International partners such as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, EUMETSAT, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also play critical roles in supporting ClimSA. 

#ClimateInformation #Agenda2063

  For further information:

Dr. Jolly Wasambo I ClimSA Programme Coordinator | Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: wasamboj@africanunion.org  | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia|

Ms. Diana Chacha I ClimSA Communication Officer | Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy  Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: chacha@africanunion.org and climsa@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia| WhatsApp +255659112780.

For media inquiries and interview 

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke | Media and Communication Officer| Information and Communication Directorate| African Union Commission | Email: MolaletT@africa-union.org; WhatsApp: +251-911-630 631.