WMO support strengthens multi-hazard early warning systems in five countries

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a new publication detailing how its support is helping Bangladesh, Haiti, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia strengthen observation, forecasting and early warning capacities under the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, according to a press release. The project targets Pillar 2 of the EW4All value chain: detection, observation, monitoring, analysis and forecasting. It responds to the global call for every person on Earth to be protected by life-saving multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWSs) by 2027. The initiative was supported through a dedicated multi-national project. The publication documents distinct approaches tailored to each national context.

In 2024, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency made available US$ 5.5 million through the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to accelerate implementation of the EW4All Initiative. Of that allocation, WMO was granted US$ 900,000 to deliver the multi-national project. The five countries illustrate the varied approaches required to strengthen early warning systems. Needs differ depending on the national context. The experiences range from rehabilitating observation networks to improving data exchange and alerting protocols.

In Somalia, the emphasis was on building the institutional foundations for a national meteorological and hydrological service, including governance structures, legal arrangements, coordination mechanisms, capacity building, strategic planning and the country’s EW4All roadmap. In Liberia, the priority was improving the observation network and data available for forecasting, with support for station rehabilitation, technical training, data transmission and digitization of historical records. In Mozambique, the project strengthened operational forecasting and warning services, trained meteorological and hydrological staff on international observation and data-exchange systems, and developed digital platforms. The work also supported Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) alerts and standard operating procedures. Each stream was aligned with national priorities.

In Bangladesh, support focused on forecasting and alert dissemination for coastal hazards, including training on storm-surge modelling and coastal inundation forecasting, and workshops bringing together meteorological and hydrological services, government agencies and the media. In Haiti, where insecurity and institutional disruption create additional challenges, support included backup power, forecasting equipment, satellite connectivity, technical training and flood-forecasting activities, while the country’s EW4All roadmap and Pillar 2 action plan were finalized and validated. National ownership was a common theme, with countries taking the lead in identifying priorities while WMO provided technical support. South-South cooperation enabled countries to share expertise, with Liberia benefiting from technical support from Nigeria and Mozambique working in collaboration with South Africa. UN agencies and regional partners were also engaged.

The project has established important building blocks, but the work is far from finished. In several countries, new investments are helping to build on this progress, including continued CREWS support in Haiti and new initiatives supporting early warning systems in Somalia and Mozambique. Looking beyond the 2027 EW4All target, the foundations established will continue to drive global efforts to strengthen resilience to weather-, climate- and water-related hazards. The full publication, Strengthening Early Warnings for All: Advancing Observation-to-alerts for Early Warnings, provides detailed case studies from each of the five countries. It consolidates lessons from the multi-national project under Pillar 2.