The UAE has been elected as the President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a prominent UN body responsible for matters related to weather, climate, hydrology, and related environmental fields.

Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the UAE's National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), has been elected as the President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027. Dr. Al Mandous, also serving as the UAE's Permanent Representative to WMO and President of WMO's Regional Association II (Asia), contested the election as the official candidate of the UAE.

Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous has been elected as the new President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) during the 19th session of the World Meteorological Congress (Cg-19) held in Geneva, Switzerland. Representatives from WMO's 193 member states and territories participated in the election process. Dr. Al Mandous secured 95 votes, surpassing his contender, Prof Dwikorita Karnawati of Indonesia, who received 53 votes. He will succeed Prof Gerhard Adrian, the President of the German Meteorological Service, who has held the position since June 2019.

Dr. Al Mandous will assume his presidency by presiding over the 77th Executive Council Session (EC-77) of the WMO, scheduled to be held in Geneva on June 5 and 6.

In response to his election, Abdulla Al Mandous stated, it is my great honour to be elected as the President of WMO and serve the global weather and climate community in this role. I extend my gratitude to the member states for their trust and confidence in my capabilities to guide and coordinate WMO's activities in this era of changing climate. With the continued support of all members, I look forward to building upon the remarkable work of my predecessors and strengthening WMO's role in accelerating the development of comprehensive early warning systems, advancing scientific research, and ensuring the effective dissemination of weather-related information to communities around the world."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "In line with WMO's strategy to support its members, particularly their NMHSs, my focus will be on enhancing the resilience of nations to weather and climate-related hazards, strengthening service delivery, promoting knowledge-sharing and capacity building, and increasing the recognition and understanding of WMO's specialised work, among other priorities. With the collective efforts of member states, I am confident that WMO will continue to play a vital role in shaping the global meteorological agenda, promoting sustainable development, and fostering international cooperation in the face of increasing weather-related challenges."

Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, expressed, "We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr Al Mandous on this well-deserved recognition. His election to this prestigious position in a year when the UAE is hosting COP28 and marking the Year of Sustainability is a great opportunity for the country to demonstrate to the world its unwavering commitment to leading collective global action to tackle the pressing challenges facing our planet. Given his long-standing expertise and visionary approach to delivering WMO's mission, we are confident that Dr Al Mandous will utilise his dynamic leadership style to help the organisation achieve its strategic objectives."

Al Mandous, a renowned expert in weather-related fields, was appointed by WMO in April 2021 as a member of its Expert Team on Weather Modification.

Image source: ANI