World Meteorological Organization

The third session of the WMO Services Commission (SERCOM-3) concluded yesterday, 9 March 2024, in Bali, Indonesia.

Members of the Commission concluded consideration of 32 decision documents on an array of topics that addressed, inter alia, the regulatory frameworks across the ‘Services family’ (aviation, marine, agriculture hydrology, climatology, early warning services and others), the work programme and subsidiary body structures of the Commission for the next four years, a gender action plan of SERCOM, and procedural matters. A gender action day also took place on Thursday (7 March 2024), on the eve of International Women's Day. 

Insofar as aeronautical meteorology/services for aviation is concerned, Members endorsed the recommendations and statement arising from the Eighth International Workshop on Volcanic Ash (IWVA-8) held in 2023 as well as a 2025 update to Aerodrome Reports and Forecasts: A Users' Handbook to the Codes (WMO-No. 782). A side-event on the impact on Members of service delivery transformation on aeronautical meteorology also took place on Monday, 4 March 2024. The side-event, attended by approximately 70 delegates, was an opportunity for questions to be put to a panel of international experts on how services and service delivery may evolve over the next decade and how Members can prepare for foreseen change.

During SERCOM-3, Members also endorsed the existence of the Standing Committee on Services for Aviation (SC-AVI) for the next four years (until SERCOM-5 in early 2028) and the leadership of SC-AVI. More specifically, SERCOM selected Andrea Henderson (Australia) as the new chair of SC-AVI as well as Kaspar Bucher-Studer (Switzerland) and Wilfred Idowu (Nigeria) as the new co-vice-chairs of SC-AVI.

Over the coming weeks, the new leadership team of SC-AVI, assisted by the WMO Secretariat and president of SERCOM as necessary, will make decisions on the structure and composition of SC-AVI and its subsidiary bodies. More information on this will be shared in due course via the Services for Aviation homepage. 

In other important developments, Members of the Commission elected the following officers:

• President of SERCOM: Ian Lisk (United Kingdom)
• Co-vice-presidents of SERCOM: Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan (Indonesia), Angela Corina (Italy) and Ray Tanabe (United States of America)

These officers (pictured) will serve the Commission for the next four years.

More information on the SERCOM-3 outcomes is available here for a limited time. Meanwhile daily updates from the session, including photos, are available here.

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