The African Union Commission’s (AUC) ClimSA programme convened a training workshop this quarter to member state experts on the use and maintenance of the new PUMA 2025 (Preparation for the Use of Meteosat in Africa) and ClimSA (Climate Services and Applications) stations. The training targets sub-Saharan African countries, including African Island States, whose National Meteorological Services have received the new stations. The workshop, organized by ClimSA’s technical partner AESA was held in August 2025, at the Institute for Meteorological Training and Research (IMTR), in Nairobi, Kenya, which serves as one of Africa’s Regional Training Centres (RTCs).

Dr. Jolly Wasambo, AUC ClimSA Programme Coordinator, emphasized:
“In Africa, the AUC has selected only two training centres to ensure sustainability of the PUMA and ClimSA infrastructures. ClimSA is here to sustain what we have started, with the main focus on building the capacity of our national institutions for socio-economic development. This training ensures member states are equipped to effectively utilize and maintain these critical tools for their citizens’ benefit.”

As part of the African Union Commission, strategy of efficient and sustainable use of Climate Information infrastructure, this collaboration with the RTCs and the programmes technical implementing partners EUMETSAT, JRC and AESA, is training the member states in the maintenance and use of infrastructure. The AUC ClimSA programme since 2024 and continues to organize a series of training sessions at EAMAC whom caters for the Francophone countries trainees and at IMTR caters for the Anglophone countries. The nominated lectures have a solid background in the administration and/or use of previous PUMA and/or ClimSA Stations (formerly called e-station):

• Weather forecasters: for the training on the use of PUMA stations;
• IT experts: for training in the administration and maintenance of PUMA and ClimSA stations; and
• Climatologists: for the training in the use of ClimSA stations.

Bernard Chanzu, Director of Institute for Meteorological Trainig and Research (IMTR), in his opening remarks, expressed appreciation:
“We are grateful to the AUC for recognizing IMTR’s capacity and entrusting us with this important responsibility. Although nine countries could not physically attend, this training will reach every African citizen in the long term by strengthening the continent’s climate resilience for decades to come.”

Benefit of this training to AUC Member States

This training workshop builds on the 2025 August, Training of Trainer Workshop conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and a similar three weeks trainings that were executed in 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya with IMTR to RCCs (CAPC-AC, SADC-CSC, IOC, ICPAC, and CILSS) and some REC experts. The capacitation of the beneficiaries will:

1. Local experts with the latest global knowledge: these African citizens capacitated in the 2025 PUMA and ClimSA tools will execute these new skills to their local climate scenarios.
2. Stronger National Policies and Academic curriculums: These trained meteorologists, disaster managers, and engineers can advice policymakers. Countries will greatly reduce dependency on foreign climate data services, which can be slow, costly, or not tailored to African realities.
3. Stronger Early Warning Systems: These new stations receive real-time satellite data for weather, climate, and environmental monitoring. The students can interpret satellite data leading to faster, more accurate warnings for floods, droughts, cyclones, and extreme heat events, which benefits the country and the region to save lives and livelihoods.

Next Steps for ClimSA

• Trainees in 2025, after the training continue to receive certificates of completion to support the new area of expertise they have attained through the AUC ClimSA Programme.
• AUC to support the from Regional Training Centers (RTC) in IMTR and EAMAC through the technical support the programmes Technical backing of AESA.
• ClimSA remains committed to assisting member states in the deployment and installation of PUMA 2025 and ClimSA Stations, further strengthening Africa’s resilience to climate variability and change.( which is ongoing since 2024 to 2026).

About the AUC ClimSA Programme

Climate shocks have no boundaries, the same goes for the benefits which cut across all sectors of the communities, because this climate information reduces the disproportional impact Africa faces. ClimSA is a EUR 22 million AU flagship initiative that 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. It implements the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), through the 11th European Development F und (11th EDF) it implements continental activities under its five outputs of the programme, as well as leading the implementation of the programme in the ECCAS region.

On October 9, 2020, the African Union Commission (AUC) signed the Contribution Agreement with the European Union for the implementation of ClimSA. The program achieves this by strengthening the capacities of African Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of AU Member States to develop, deliver and integrate science-based climate information and predictions into policy and decision-making, development planning and practice at the levels of African continent, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Member States.

For further information, please contact:

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

For media enquiry:

Mr Molalet Tsedeke | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission
Tel: +251-911-630 631 | E-mail: MolaletT@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ms. Diana Chacha, Communications and Visibility – ClimSA Programme |  African Union Commission | E-mail: chacha@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia