MEDIA ADVISORY: Launch Event of the Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) Programme Brussels, Belgium – The Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), the European Commission, representatives of OACPS Regional Organisations and their respective Regional Climate Centres, and International Partner Institutions will gather together on the occasion of the official launch the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) Programme, to be held on 30 March 2021 from 12:00 to 14:00 (CEST). In the context of this launch event, awareness will be raised on the actual objectives of the ClimSA programme and on its implementation status. Parties will in particular be encouraged to take advantage of this initiative to build the capacity of OACPS regions and countries to easily access and use climate data and information for their policy and practice decisions. This will increase their ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, build resilience and enable the achievement of their sustainable development goals. THEME: Advancing Climate Services in ACP Regions for Sustainable Development WHO: OPENING CEREMONY • H.E. Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary General OACPS • Ms. Christelle Pratt, Assistant Secretary General, Environment & Climate Action Department, OACPS • Mrs. Carla Montesi, Director for Green Deal and Digital Agenda Directorate-General for International Partnerships DG INTPA – EC • H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture / AUC • Ms. Leah Naess Wanambwa, Senior Policy Officer, Division of Environment, Climate Change, Water and Land Management – AUC SPEAKERS FOR ROUND TABLE • Mr. Petteri Taalas, Secretary General, WMO • Mr. Sékou Sangare, Commissioner AEWR, ECOWAS • Dr. Honoré Tabuna, Commissionner ENRARD Department - ECCAS • Mr. Andre Kamga Foamouhoue, Director General – ACMAD • Mr. Phil Evans, Director-General -EUMETSAT • Mr. David Farrell, Principal - CIMH • Ms. Tagaloa Cooper-Halo, Director, Climate Change Resilience -SPREP • Mr. Giovanni de Santi, Director, Directorate for Sustainable Resources, EC- JRC WHEN: Tuesday, 30th March 2021, from 12:00-14:00 CEST WHERE: Link to Register the Virtual event: https://eventregistrAtion.eumetsAt.int/events/climsA-launch-event/ Link to the Zoom meeting: https://eumetsAt.zoom.us/J/93726603985?pwd=OUFKL1hTOWJKT2tSUGNJOXVNT0E4UT09 Webinar ID: 937 2660 3985 - Passcode: 275956 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Dr. Dieudonné FAkA, Mr. JeAn-Rémy DAue Team Leader, ClimSA Communication and Knowledge Management Expert Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Tel: +32 483.45.87.21 Tel: +32 475.78.05.50 Web Landing page: www.climsa.org BACKGROUND INFORMATION • The Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (OACPS) is the world’s largest group of developing countries. Since 5 April 2020, the ACP Group of States officially became the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). This follows the entry into force of the revised Georgetown Agreement which was endorsed by the ACP Heads of States at the 9th Summit of ACP Heads of States and Government in December 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya. The Organisation is composed of 79 states, consisting of 48 countries from sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean, and 15 from the Pacific. The OACPS members include 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 37 Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) et 15 Landlocked LDCs. These countries and regions have contributed less than most others to climate change, but they are also more vulnerable to changing weather patterns, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events. • The Intra-ACP Climate Services and related applications programme (ClimSA) is an initiative of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) to strengthen the climate services value chain: from access to information, generation and provision of climate services to engagement and capacity of users to ensure utilisation of these services. For that purpose, the intervention aim is to provide, among others, technical support, capacity building, institution strengthening and, awareness, for eight Regional Climate Centres in the three ACP regions. For more info: https://www.climsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ClimSA_Factsheet_LAY_V4_220321.pdf ACRONYMS OACPS: Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States INTPA – EC: European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships AUC: African Union Commission ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States ECCAS: Economic Community of Central African States ENRARD: Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development ACMAD: African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development CIMH: Caribbean Institute for Meteorology & Hydrology SPREP: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme WMO: UN World Meteorological Organisation EUMETSAT: European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites EC-JRC: European Commission's Joint Research Centre .