Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries established

Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries established

Yeung Kwok-chung

The Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries was established on 3 December 2024, marking a significant milestone in enhancing the capabilities of meteorological professionals in the Belt and Road (B&R) regions and promoting future meteorological co-operation and development.

During the ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, remarked that the Training Centre aims to strengthen climate resilience in the regions through capacity building and knowledge transfer. The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to regional co-operation in meteorological services. The Training Centre will cultivate a network of weather and climate experts to work together to prepare for high-impact and extreme weather.

The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Dr Chan Pak-wai, stated during the ceremony, “The Hong Kong Observatory has been involved in providing training to meteorological personnel from around the world for many years. The establishment of the Training Centre will help us strengthen the ability of meteorological professionals across the Belt and Road regions, and promote future meteorological co-operation and technology exchanges.”

Officiating guests at the ceremony included Deputy Administrator of the China Meteorological Administration, Mr Xiong Shaoyuan; the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho; the Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr Ben Churchill; and representatives from meteorological departments of various countries. In addition to the guests present at the ceremony, the President of the WMO, Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, and the chiefs of more than 10 meteorological agencies from B&R regions extended their congratulations the establishment of the Training Centre via video conferencing.

The Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries was established on 3 December 2024. Photo shows the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan (centre), and other guests officiating at the establishment ceremony. The other officiating guests included (from left): the Director General of the Maldives Meteorological Service, Mr Abdulla Wahid; the Director of Jordan Meteorological Department, Mr Ra'ed Ahmad Subhi Rafid; the Advisor of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology of Cambodia, Dr Seth Vannareth; the Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific of the World Meteorological Organization, Mr Ben Churchill; the Deputy Administrator of the China Meteorological Administration, Mr Xiong Shaoyuan; the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho; the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Dr Chan Pak-wai; the Director of Fiji Meteorological Service, Mr Misaeli Mavoa Funaki; the Director of the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau, Mr Leong Weng-kun; and the Deputy Director-General of the Thai Meteorological Department, Mr Thanasith Iamananchai.

The Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries was established on 3 December 2024. Photo shows the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan (front row, centre); the Deputy Administrator of the China Meteorological Administration Mr Xiong Shaoyuan (front row, seventh from left); the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho (front row, seventh from right), the Director of Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific of the World Meteorological Organization, Mr Ben Churchill (front row, sixth from right); the Advisor of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology of Cambodia, Dr Seth Vannareth (front row, fifth from left); the Director of Fiji Meteorological Service, Mr Misaeli Mavoa Funaki (front row, fifth from right); the Director of Jordan Meteorological Department, Mr Ra'ed Ahmad Subhi Rafid (front row, fourth from left); the Director of the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau, Mr Leong Weng-kun (front row, fourth from right); the Director General of Maldives Meteorological Service, Mr Abdulla Wahid (front row, third from left); the Deputy Director-General of the Thai Meteorological Department, Mr Thanasith Iamananchai (front row, third from right); and the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Dr Chan Pak-wai (front row, sixth from right), with guests of the establishment ceremony.