Regional Activities
RA I Dissemination Expert Group
Following recommendations from the EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa and the WMO Regional Association I (Africa), the RA I Dissemination Expert Group (RAIDEG) was established by WMO in cooperation with EUMETSAT, as part of the strategy to improve satellite data accessibility and user awareness in developing countries.
The Terms of Reference of the RA I Dissemination Expert Group are to:
- Collect, review and maintain requirements for access to meteorological and environmental data and products by NMHSs and partner organizations in Africa;
- Analyze the requirements for satellite-based products expressed by African NMHSs, Centres of Excellence, Training Institutes and other environmental monitoring organizations in Africa making use of EUMETCast and GTS dissemination services; and
- Make recommendations on the requirements for products and on the assignment of priorities, aiming at optimizing product dissemination through EUMETCast or the GTS.
The group performs a regular review of the EUMETCast-Africa Dissemination Baseline compared with the needs expressed by RA I users, and formulates recommendations to EUMETSAT. It also discusses other technical matters regarding satellite data utilization in Africa.
The group has held the following meetings:
- 1st meeting: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (26 September 2010)
- 2nd meeting: Darmstadt, Germany (28-30 June 2011)
- 3rd meeting: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (30 September 2012)
- 4th meeting: Geneva, Switzerland (11-12 June 2013)
- 5th meeting: Johannesburg, South Africa (6-7 September 2014)
- 6th meeting: Darmstadt, Germany (24-25 August 2015)
- 7th meeting: Kigali, Rwanda (10-11 September 2016)
- 8th meeting: Geneva, Switzerland (1-2 November 2017)
- Joint meeting with the RA I Climate Services and Adaptation group (18-19 April 2017) (Report_En, Rapport_Fr)
- 9th meeting: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (22-23 September 2018)
- 10th meeting: Darmstadt, Germany (11-12 November 2019)
- 11th meeting: Online (8th December 2020)
- 12th meeting: Online (1-2 September 2021)
| Members | Country | Responsible for (Area/International Organization) |
| Maixent Kambi | Congo-Brazzaville | Central Africa |
| George Wiafe | Ghana | JCOMM |
| Nicholas Maingi | Kenya | Eastern Africa |
| Sarah Kimani (Vice Chair) | Kenya | IMTR (CGMS VLab CoE) |
| Kumar Ram Dhurmea | Mauritius | Indian Ocean region |
| Tareq Soubai | Morocco | Northern Africa |
| Rachida Elouaraini | Morocco | DMN, CGMS Vlab CoE |
| Leon-Guy Razafindrakoto | Niger | ACMAD |
| Diakaria Kone | Niger | EAMAC/ASECNA, CGMS Vlab CoE |
| Lee Ann Simpson (Chair) | SAWS | CGMS Vlab CoE |
| Mouhamadou Kamara | Senegal | Western Africa |
| Nico Kroese | South Africa | Southern Africa |
| National Focal Points | Country | |
| Makondjou Diane Laourou | Bênin | |
| Georger Calvin Moti | Cameroon | |
| Sarah Kimani | Kenya | |
| Andrianambinina Raharisoa | Madagascar | |
| Tareq Soubai | Morocco | |
| Aristides Neves Domingos | Mozambique | |
| Olumide Arike Olaniyan | Nigeria | |
| Ahmed Hmam | Tunisia | |
| Karen McCourt | United Kingdom | UK Met Office NWP model data for African NMHSs |
Each NMHS has been requested to nominate national focal points for RAIDEG. Those that have not yet done so are encouraged to contact WMO in response to circular letter 03749/2019/OBS/SAT/RAIDEG_en, 03749/2019/OBS/SAT/RAIDEG_fr.
(Updated: 14 April 2020)