Pilot Phase¶

The regional office began piloting the CMS with several African countries from July to December of 2023, in response to formal request from the WMO’s Permanent Representatives (PRs), addressed to the director of WMO Regional Office for Africa. This section summarizes the progress in the pilot phase, conclusions drawn from the technical support and collaboration provided to NMHSs in developing their pilot websites.

Summary of the progress¶

Initially, the selected pilot countries were:

Ethiopia
Mozambique
Niger
Burkina Faso
Ghana

However, several additional countries have expressed interest in adapting the CMS

The table below lists the status of the CMS setup for each country that has requested to install the CMS so far:

	Country	Status/Stage	Public URL
1	Algeria	Internal Testing
2	Benin	Training stage
3	Burkina Faso	Published	https://www.meteoburkina.bf
4	Burundi	Training stage
5	Chad	Server setup stage
6	Djibouti	Initial discussion stage
7	Ethiopia	Training stage
8	Ghana	Training Stage
9	Guinea Bissau	Initial discussion stage
10	Kenya	Server setup stage
11	Libya	Initial discussion stage
12	Malawi	Published	http://www.metmalawi.gov.mw
13	Mali	Published	https://malimeteo.ml
14	Mauritius	Initial discussion stage
15	Morocco	Internal testing
16	Niger	Published	https://www.niger-meteo.ne
17	Nigeria	Server setup stage
18	Seychelles	Published	https://www.meteo.sc
19	Sierra Leone	Initial discussion stage
20	South Sudan	Published	https://meteosouthsudan.com.ss
21	Sudan	Published	https://meteosudan.sd
22	The Gambia	Initial discussion stage
23	Togo	Published	https://www.anamet-togo.com
24	Zimbabwe	Initial discussion stage

The development of the website generally encompasses eleven steps.

The initial step is installation of the CMS software package
Preparation of the base CMS setting
Organisation of the website’s pages
Listing of the desired pages,
Listing of services and products made by NMHSs
Setup of the MapViewer package
Automatic products visualisation
Event pages setup and registration integration
Integration of NMHSs’s social media accounts into the website
Setup of CAP composing tool
Integration of email marketing tool with the website to enable users to sign up to receiving services via email.

The table below summarises each country’s progress:

CMS Country Progress

Conclusion and recommendations¶

Broad Implementation and Technical Support¶

The CMS has been enthusiastically embraced by member states in Africa, as numerous PRs have submitted formal requests to pilot the system to modernize their existing websites. Currently, ten countries are in various stages of CMS customization, with the first group aiming to launch their updated websites between February and March 2024.
Pilot countries have recognized the CMS’s potential to significantly enhance service provision and elevate visibility not only among their public but also across line ministries and other stakeholders at the national, regional, and global levels. The CMS is expected to foster greater public trust in the products and warnings, enhance national visibility, and improve institutional positioning within government structures. Additionally, its integration with digital marketing tools like email marketing and social media is anticipated to spur user growth. The CMS has also been designed to optimize the utilization of satellite products, amplify the impact and visibility of warnings, and enable more effective comparison of national, regional and global forecast, and monitoring products.
Given the crucial role of a website as an institution’s global interface, it is recommended that the CMS be made broadly accessible to NMHSs across Africa. The WMO’s continued technical support in customizing and adopting the CMS is essential. A professional, user-friendly, and service-oriented website will bolster NMHSs’ presence and demonstrate their value at the national level, potentially leading to increased funding and recognition from national governments.

Licensing and Operational Guidelines¶

Adopting a Free Open Software System (FOSS) License for the CMS is recommended, catering to the diverse needs of NMHSs. While the CMS is specifically tailored for meteorological services, it should be noted that WMO offers it without any liability or warranty. NMHSs are encouraged to employ the CMS according to their preferences, with the assurance of continued assistance from WMO and its partners in areas of installation and staff training.

Establishing a Community of Practice and Digital Public Good¶

In recognition of its transformative potential, the CMS should be declared a “Digital Public Good.” This status will enhance its global visibility and utility. Furthermore, establishing a community of practice, comprising experts from various fields including ICT, climate science, and social sciences is crucial. This community will play a pivotal role in ensuring the CMS’s continuous development, adapting it to the evolving challenges in climate services. A “ Digital Public Good” refers to digital products, typically software, data, AI models, standards, or content, that adhere to specific criteria of openness and inclusivity. These goods are designed to foster collaboration and inclusivity, often focusing on solving societal challenges especially in areas such as climate, healthcare, education, and governance. The annexe contains further information on the criteria for digital public goods.
To ensure sustainable maintenance and iteration of the system functionalities and technologies we recommend developing a community of practice made of ICT, climate and social science experts from NMHSs, Regional Climate Centers, Global Producing Centers, Satellite Agencies, Universities and any relevant institutions leading in innovation in climate services.

Global Accessibility and Contribution to Early Warning Systems¶

Expanding the CMS’s reach beyond Africa is vital, aligning with the goals of the UN’s Early Warning for All Initiative. The CMS, with its advanced tools and integrations, can significantly enhance early warning systems globally, thereby contributing to improved disaster preparedness and response.

Enhanced Visibility and Resource Accessibility¶

To maximize its impact, the CMS’s code and user guides should be made widely accessible. A dedicated landing page, alongside distribution through partner organizations’ websites and networks, will ensure ease of access and usability. This step is crucial in promoting transparency, user engagement, and the system’s widespread adoption.