Tanzanian re-elected Vice President of World meteorological body

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian Dr Agness Kijazi has retained her position as vice president of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) congress held in Geneva yesterday, June 13.

This is a third consecutive time that a Tanzanian is elected to serve at the position.

This means that Dr Kijazi will serve as WMO vice president for another term of four years.

Dr Kijazi is a permanent member of the WMO.

Dr Kijazi the Director General of Tanzania Meteorological Agency, was elected Third Vice-President.

During the election, which was held in Geneva Gerhard Adrian from Germany was elected as WMO President.

While Mr Celeste Saulo, from Argentinean National Meteorological Service (SMN), was elected First Vice-President.

Mr Albert Martis, Director, Meteorological Department of Curacao, was elected Second Vice-President.

During the election Mr Petteri Taalas of Finland was re-appointed WMO Secretary-General for a further four year-term. He has been WMO Secretary-General since 2016 and is a United Nations Climate Principal.

The World Meteorological Congress is a meeting held to agree on future strategy and tools to help countries increase resilience to extreme weather, water, climate and other environmental shocks, to strengthen scientific observations and predictions and to close capacity gap.

This year, the meeting was held from June 3 and 14.

The Congress takes place every four years and decides on the strategy, policies, standards, and budget and office holders of the 193-member World Meteorological.

This year the congress discussed a sweeping reform of WMO’s governance structures to address major risks and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.