Launching AMSAF: Advancing Africa's Climate Resilience Through Satellite Meteorology

The African Union Commission (AUC), through the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE), has officially kicked off the development of the African Meteorological Satellite Applications Facility (AMSAF) at the AU Headquarters.

This landmark initiative marks a major milestone for climate adaptation on the continent. Developed under the Strengthening Early Warning Systems in Africa (SEWA) project, AMSAF is designed to significantly boost the capacity of African institutions to utilize advanced meteorological satellite data. The facility will directly support weather alert systems, enhance climate resilience, and strengthen disaster preparedness across Africa.

A Powerful EU-African Union Partnership

This vital initiative is made possible through international collaboration. The European Union supports this programme in a significant way through the longstanding EU-African Union partnership, funding the SEWA project as part of the broader Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme. This joint effort underscores a shared commitment to leveraging space science for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.

EU

The two-day high-level meeting centered on driving Africa's capabilities at the intersection of meteorology and space science, focusing on four key pillars:

• AMSAF-Nowcasting: Implementing rapid, real-time weather tracking under the SEWA project.
• Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF): Upgrading systems to predict not just what the weather will be, but what the weather will do, in synergy with African institutions and UN programmes.
• Continental Partnerships: Strengthening collaborative networks across African institutions for the long-term development of AMSAF.
• Robust Governance: Establishing a clear framework to ensure the facility's sustainable and effective operation.

The event brought together an elite network of leadership and global experts in meteorology, space science, and disaster management.

EU

Keynote addresses were delivered by representatives from the AUC's Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE), the European Union Delegation to the African Union, and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

The European Commission (DG INTPA), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) also took part.