VANTAA – Finland-based global technology company Vaisala has received all the necessary approvals from Ethiopian and Finnish authorities for the weather observation and forecasting system project in Ethiopia. Vaisala will deliver a turnkey meteorological solution for the National Meteorology Agency (NMA) in Ethiopia together with the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). The project will help Ethiopia to become more resilient to climate change and promote the nation’s sustainable development. The project implementation takes 2-3 years, and it is planned to start in Q3/2021. After the implementation period a 3-year maintenance and support period will start. The project value is EUR 13 million, which will be booked in orders received for Q2/2021.
Vaisala, a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurements, together with FMI, will modernize Ethiopia’s weather and climate observation and forecasting systems. The project was first announced in October 2019. Vaisala and FMI help the Ethiopian National Meteorology Agency to build up capabilities that improve their capacity to predict and warn about extreme weather. Top-of-the-line environmental observations, forecasting, and early warning systems help safeguard both lives and property.
“Ethiopia faces hazardous weather events such as droughts, floods, hail and heavy precipitation. These events are expected to increase in both frequency and intensity, and to mitigate the impacts, we need action on many levels of society. The importance of reliable weather measurements and forecasts to protect lives and property is constantly growing. Adaptation to climate change is important for all African countries, which are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather phenomena,” said Jarkko Sairanen, Executive Vice President, Weather and Environment, Vaisala.
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“When extreme weather strikes, reliable early warnings are crucial for people and organizations to be prepared. Thanks to our meteorological solution as well as the forecasting systems and training provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the National Meteorology Agency will be able to provide better weather services to Ethiopian people and thus mitigate the consequences of extreme weather events to local economies and livelihoods,” said Panu Partanen, Vice President, Weather and Environment, APAC and MEA.
“Through this unique Finnish public-private partnership, we are able to deliver a seamless integrated solution. Vaisala’s high-end observation system integrated with FMI’s state of the art forecast production system covers the whole value chain of the National Meteorology Agency. This will enable much needed weather-related services for different sectors of society,” said Harri Pietarila, Head of Expert Services of FMI.
The project will be funded through the Finnish Public Sector Investment Facility (PIF), a soft-loan financing instrument administrated by Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. It is applicable for projects that comply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries that promote sustainable development and utilize Finnish expertise and technology. This is the first PIF project that has advanced to the agreement stage.
Vaisala is a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurements. Building on 85 years of experience, Vaisala provides observations for a better world, with space-proof technology even exploring Mars and beyond. We are a reliable partner for customers around the world, offering a comprehensive range of innovative observation and measurement products and services. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala employs over 1,900 professionals worldwide and is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange: VAIAS.
Source: Vaisala