STATEMENT BY MR H. M. DIALLO, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION

AT THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, Brussels, 16 May 2001

(check against delivery)

Mr Chairperson, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is indeed an honour for me to address this important Conference, on behalf of Prof. Obasi, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) who unfortunately is not able to be with you here today. He has requested me to convey to you, your excellencies, his cordial greetings and his best wishes for a very successful conference.

Further to what we have heard here, there is no need for us to dwell on the past, as we all know what the situation of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is today, a sad and difficult one for the hundreds of millions of inhabitants concerned. We should instead look ahead and engage our know-how and goodwill to contribute towards shaping a better and brighter future for the LDCs.

In this regard, this Conference cannot succeed if a "conference as usual" attitude prevails. The Conference should translate promises and commitments into practical and effective actions, even if limited to a few.

Your Excellencies,

It is in such a context that WNIO will continue working closely with the Least Developed Countries in partnership with the United Nations family and the international community, to strengthen the core capacities acid responsibilities of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHs) and related institutions in support of a sustainable socio-economic development of these countries. In so doing, this will also ensure that national, regional and global needs and obligations of the Least Developed Countries are met. WMO and the NMNs of the LDCs will, in particular, contribute towards:

(1) the protection of people and property from the effects of cyclones, floods, droughts, forest fires and other weather-induced natural disasters, by providing early warnings and alternatives that enable appropriate measures to be taken to protect lives and property. In this regard, we know that unfortunately, the LDCs are most vulnerable to natural disasters and need to improve their prepaiedness and mitigation strategies.

(2) increased production of food and other export crops, through the provision of timely advice to farmers on weather and climate conditions. Encouraging results of pilot projects carried out in some of the Sahelian countries leads us to believe that adequate provision of meteorological and hydrological information can contribute to increased crop yields.

(3) improved management of natural resources, especially water resources, through the monitoring of rivers and enhanced hydrological forecasting systems. This will enable a better assessment of the available fresh water resources and an improved management for domestic and industrial use in the LDCs.

(4) addressing effectively and minimizing the potential of threats and consequences of climate change, desertification and ozone layer depletion through awareness building and promoting preventive measures at national and regional levels. Allow me to mention here the important role played by WMO in the establishment and scientific work of the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (lPCC) arid the development of major UN Conventions relevant to LDCs among which are the UNFCC and the UNCCD.

(5) Finally, improving the safety and efficiency of transportation, especially air and sea navigation, which are essential for the development of various economic sectors of LDCs.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

WMO maintains active relationships with the LDCs and assists them in various ways, including through the provision of support for capacity building in monitoring climate and weather related events that often devastate the LDCs. WMO is therefore committed to participating actively in the implementation of concrete actions which will be decided upon by the LDCs themselves as follow-up to this conference, within the framework of the Plan of Action for the LDCs for the decade 2001-2010 and in full cooperation with regional intergovernmental organizations, the UN system and the multilateral and bilateral partners.

Thank you.