Malawi’s lack of quality meteorology systems worries minister

Malawi’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Management Halima Daudi says lack of quality management system in aviation meteorological services in most countries in the Sadc region is affecting the prediction of weather disasters.

Speaking at the opening of the Meteorological Association of Southern Africa (Masa) in Lilongwe last week, Daudi said countries in this region have not achieved quality management systems thereby affecting the relaying of quality weather messages.

“National meteorological services in the world, including those in the southern Africa, are faced with numerous challenges that need to be tackled with urgency.

“Some national meteorological services, including Malawi, are not yet ISO 9 000 compliant and there is need to find a strategy to make sure that by December 2013 which is a deadline for qualification of ISO is met,” she said.

The minister said she will take a personal initiative to raise money for training for meteorological staff as well as affiliation fees even if the amount is huge.

“As Malawi, we are taking this issue seriously and we will make sure that by December we have fulfilled all the requirements and the country is complying with ISO requirements,” said Daudi.

Chairperson of Masa Moises Benessene said noncompliance to be certified by ISO has diverse consequences on the economies in the region because it impacts negatively on the aviation industry.

“Weather knows no political boundary and weather and climate systems spread from one position to the other, across political boundaries. Despite the fact that of the 5 sub regional economic groupings of Africa Sadc has the highest number of ISO certified countries there is more to be done to make sure that quality services are on offer,” he said.

Masa is a Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) association concerned with regional cooperation in weather, climate and water.