This was the outcome on Tuesday, February 20, when Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO) and other International Organizations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson, paid a courtesy call to the newly installed World Meteorological Organization’s Secretary General, Professor Celeste Saulo.Professor Saulo was appointed as the first female and South American Secretary-General of the WMO by the 19th World Meteorological Congress. Her four-year term began on January 1, 2024.Ambassador Wilson, in response, reminded the Secretary-General of the UN House in Barbados, which already houses several United Nations organisations. +The World Meteorological Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations. It is the UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources.For the Caribbean and Barbados, this is particularly important as it will facilitate coordinated political action on strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems for hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, landslides, and epidemics, among other hazards.Ms. Saulo indicated that she is committed to working with Barbados and the Caribbean region on issues such as how the WMO could increase its on-the-ground presence.The premise of the EW4ALL is based on coordinated investments and action across four essential pillars: Disaster risk knowledge; detection, observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting; warning dissemination and communication; and preparedness and response capabilities.At the meeting, Ambassador Wilson welcomed the role that the WMO, in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union and the United Nations (UN) Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), played in launching the first-ever regional launch of the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All initiative (EW4ALL) in 2023. That launch was presided over by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, in February 2023.Mr. Wilson highlighted some priorities for Barbados, including support around mitigation and adaptation for climate change; capitalisation of the loss and damage fund; and protection for vulnerable communities affected by the climate crisis.Barbados and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have agreed to deepen their existing relationship, especially in climate change preparedness.Source: https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/ambassador-wilson-meets-new-wmo-secretary-general/The WMO facilitates worldwide cooperation on monitoring and predicting changes in weather, climate, water, and other environmental conditions through the exchange of data, information and services, standardisation, application, research, and training.The Secretary-General confirmed that addressing the concerns of SIDS would be one of her priorities moving forward and that she welcomed the impactful voice that Barbados had on these issues, through the Bridgetown Initiative. He noted: “As a small island developing state (SIDS), Barbados is vulnerable to all forms of exogenous shocks, including climate disasters and supply chain disruption. The data, analysis and capacity building that the WMO can provide would help us build the knowledge base and expertise to better predict, manage and recover from disasters.”Caption: Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations, the WTO, and other International Organizations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson poses for a photograph with newly installed Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation, Professor Celeste Saulo, following their recent courtesy call. (GP)Author: Sheena Forde-Craigg
