The Hong Kong Observatory signed an updated memorandum of understanding with the World Meteorological Organization on March 28 to further strengthen meteorological cooperation.
Chan Pak-wai, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, said at the signing ceremony that the Observatory and the World Meteorological Organization have a long-standing cooperative relationship, and the updated memorandum of understanding can further strengthen the close relationship between the two parties. The Observatory will continue to support the World Meteorological Organization's initiatives and contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Universal Early Warning Initiative.
At the ceremony, Chen Baiwei and Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, jointly witnessed the launch of the Severe Weather Information Center (SWIC) 3.0 website. Celeste Saulo said that the launch of the SWIC 3.0 website is a milestone, providing a one-stop platform to facilitate members to share and issue early warnings, which is crucial to protecting people from the impact of disastrous weather and related environmental events.
On the same day, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Lee Ka-chiu, said when meeting with Celeste Saulo that the Hong Kong Observatory will continue to support the World Meteorological Organization’s initiative to promote regional and international meteorological cooperation. Specific work includes the establishment of a “Belt and Road” Meteorological Training Center within this year. , supporting the organization's voluntary cooperation program to provide training for meteorological personnel in relevant areas.
Hong Kong became one of the founding regional members of the World Meteorological Organization in 1948. In recent years, entrusted by the World Meteorological Organization, the Hong Kong Observatory has undertaken the development and operation of the World Weather Information Service website and the Severe Weather Information Center website. The Hong Kong Observatory and the World Meteorological Organization signed the first memorandum of understanding in 2018 to support global weather information services. In the same year, the World Meteorological Organization designated the Hong Kong Observatory as a regional professional meteorological center for nowcasting, fully recognizing the Hong Kong Observatory's important position in using nowcasting technology to predict severe weather. (Headquarters reporter Zhou Weiqi Jindong)