TAHMO, EMI and KMSA Sign MOU to Strengthen Hydro-Meteorological Data Sharing Across Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 3 September 2026
The Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO), the Ethiopian Meteorology Institute (EMI) and the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening collaboration, data sharing and technical cooperation in hydro-meteorological services across East Africa and beyond.
The MOU was signed on 3 September 2026 at the new Ethiopian Meteorology Institute offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the NOAA Multi-Hazard Forecasting Project Workshop, themed “From Data to Decisions: Exploring Next-Generation Weather Resources in Africa.”
The agreement was signed by Dr. Frank Annor, CEO of TAHMO; Edward Muriuki, Acting Director General of KMSA and Permanent Representative of Kenya with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); and Dr. Fetene Teshome (PhD), Director General of EMI and Permanent Representative of Ethiopia with WMO.
Bridging borders through data and collaboration
Weather, climate and water systems do not recognize political or institutional boundaries. Yet the information needed to understand and predict these systems is often collected and managed by different organizations and across different countries.
The new MOU provides a strategic framework for overcoming these institutional silos by strengthening cooperation among the three organizations and creating pathways for more seamless access to hydro-meteorological information.
Under the agreement, the partners will work towards enhancing hydrometeorological observations, strengthening capacity and operational research across East Africa. They will also support one another through the exchange of information, technical expertise and capacity-building opportunities.
These efforts are expected to contribute to improved forecasting, stronger multi-hazard early warning systems and better climate and weather services for communities and sectors that depend on timely, localised and reliable information.
Strengthening Africa’s forecasting capacity
Speaking during the signing, Dr. Fetene Teshome emphasized the importance of strengthening data sharing among key institutions to ensure access to timely, accurate and reliable information for forecasting across the region.
He called on partners to work closely together to provide concrete ground-based observations and to expand collaboration beyond individual countries and regions.
Dr. Fetene also highlighted that the provision of weather and climate services is no longer the responsibility of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services alone. Organizations such as TAHMO are increasingly playing an important role in supporting these institutions to strengthen observation networks, technical capacity and climate information services.
He further called for greater collaboration in human resource development, training and financial resource mobilization to strengthen hydrometeorological services across Africa.
Building trust for stronger partnerships
For TAHMO CEO Dr. Frank Annor, the signing represents the culmination of significant engagement and trust among the partner institutions.
Congratulating Dr. Fetene on the new EMI facility and welcoming the partners as some of its first users, Dr. Annor emphasized that reaching an agreement of this nature requires trust, dialogue and a shared commitment to collaboration.
He reaffirmed TAHMO’s commitment to supporting National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in delivering their mandate of providing localized climate and weather information services.
Dr. Annor also welcomed the opportunity to extend the partnership to other African meteorological agencies and expressed TAHMO’s commitment to working with WMO and other partners to explore how similar support can be extended across the continent.
Towards a more connected Africa
KMSA welcomed the MOU as an important milestone and the beginning of a long-term collaboration among the three institutions.
For many years, African countries have faced significant challenges in providing effective weather and climate services due to gaps in infrastructure, observation networks, technical expertise and capacity.
The partners believe that stronger collaboration, combined with modern observation technologies, data sharing and capacity development, can help address these gaps.
The partnership also reflects the spirit of international cooperation promoted by WMO — ensuring that countries can work together, share knowledge and strengthen their ability to protect communities from weather- and climate-related risks.
As Africa faces an increasingly variable and changing climate, no country should be left behind.
Through partnerships such as this, TAHMO, EMI and KMSA are taking an important step towards a more connected hydrometeorological community — one where data flows across borders, expertise is shared, and information can be transformed into better decisions and stronger early action.
Together, let us rise!
