Vaisala modernizes Ethiopia’s meteorological infrastructure

Vaisala
Press release
October 15, 2019

Vaisala modernizes Ethiopia’s meteorological infrastructure

To help reliably monitor and forecast weather, and thus minimize the impact of weather and climate hazards, Vaisala will modernize Ethiopia’s weather and climate observation and forecasting systems. The value of the project is EUR 13 million.

Vaisala, a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurements, will deliver a turnkey meteorological solution for the National Meteorology Agency (NMA) in Ethiopia. The project expands the Ethiopian meteorological infrastructure and service provision capabilities, matching the needs for reliable early-warnings and forecasting services. The project is estimated to run for two years and start in 2020 once the Ethiopian parliament has ratified the concessional loan agreement to finance the project. The contract will be booked in orders received once the ratification has been confirmed.

Vaisala’s solution includes a weather radar network integrated with a high-precision lightning detection system covering Western, Southern, and Central Ethiopia where more annual rain falls, an observation network management system that integrates new and existing observation sources, an air quality network for the capital city of Addis Ababa, and a centralized meteorological forecast production system.

“At Vaisala, we are committed to supporting nations to adapt to the pressing challenges posed by climate change. Ethiopia faces extreme and hazardous weather events, such as droughts, floods, hail and heavy precipitation. These events are expected to increase in both frequency and intensity, and it is a privilege to help Ethiopia build its resilience and improve its adaption to climate change,” says Jarkko Sairanen, Executive Vice President, Weather and Environment, Vaisala.

“Thanks to this program, we will be able to provide better weather services to Ethiopian people. This helps to reduce loss of life and damage to property from the increasing number of extreme weather events. Furthermore, it facilitates local economic growth in important weather-sensitive sectors including agriculture, water management, and aviation,” says Fetene Teshome, Director General, NMA.

Utilizing state-of-the-art Finnish technology, strong partnerships, and public funding

Finnish technology and meteorological expertise form the foundation for this project. The project builds on a public-private partnership where private Finnish company Vaisala provides technological solutions, project delivery, and related training. The Finnish Meteorological Institute, a governmental research and service agency, provides meteorological training and a world-class weather forecast and early-warning service production environment.

The project is intended to be funded through the Finnish Public Sector Investment Facility (PIF), an instrument applicable for projects that comply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries.

More information for media:
Nina Eklund, Director, Communications and Brand, +358 40 669 1999, [email protected]

Vaisala is a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurement. Building on over 80 years of experience, Vaisala provides observations for a better world. 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 approximately 1,850 professionals worldwide and is listed on the NASDAQ Helsinki stock exchange.
www.vaisala.com
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