'Storm warning' to economies
15 March 2007



Extreme weather in the Middle East poses a major threat to the region's economies, a meteorological expert said yesterday.World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) secretary-general Michel Jarraud warned the increasing number of natural disasters posed a danger to lives and sustainable development.

He said action was required to support food security, water quality and environment sustainability issues.

Geneva-based Mr Jarraud was speaking during an event held to mark the opening of the WMO West Asia office in Bahrain.

Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud attended the ceremony, along with Civil Aviation Affairs Assistant Under-Secretary for Meteorology Abdul Majeed Isa and United Nations resident co-ordinator Sayed Aqa.

The event, at UN House, in Hoora, was held under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

"An important challenge for Asia is related to the mitigation and prevention of natural disasters," said Mr Jarraud.

"The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, climate and water events such as tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, dust storms, landslides and heat waves causes significant threats to the sustainable development.

"Every year, these extreme events lead to disasters in many regions around the world.

"They cause significant loss of life and set back economic and social development by years, if not decades.

"From 1980 to 2005, weather, water and climate disasters accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the total number of disasters, 72pc of two million casualties and 75pc of the total economic loss.

"The increased number of disasters and the increase economic impact has been quite dramatic.

"Many of these challenges evolve from the fact that in some countries, social and economic development can depend upon the availability of natural resources such as water."

Former Jordan Meteorological Department director general Jasser Rabadi will run the WMO office in Bahrain.

It will help in the struggle against poverty in areas such as food security, water quality, environment sustainability, combating desertification and protecting land and property against the weather.

The office will be responsible for the West Asia area, covering the entire Middle East and countries within the Arab League.

It will also be part of efforts to rehabilitate and restore the meteorological and archaeological infrastructure of countries emerging from conflicts such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

Systematic meteorological observations were first conducted in Bahrain in 1902 and the country has a history of providing meteorological services.

"The establishment of this regional office in the kingdom has a highly significant meaning because it is a tangible recognition of the continuous effort of Bahrain to share technology and human resources in mutually beneficial ways," said Mr Al Gaoud.

He told delegates the productivity and efficiency of Bahrain's meteorological service had increased substantially in recent years and its activities would develop further.

"We will expand our contribution to WMO programmes through this regional office by exchanging ideas concerning the modernisation and capacity building of national meteorological and hydrological services in the RAII region," he said.

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