China donates meteorological equipment to Madagascar to strengthen weather forecasting capabilities

ANTANANARIVO, June 19 (Xinhua) -- A handover ceremony marking China's donation of meteorological and information technology equipment to Madagascar was held here on Thursday, aimed at strengthening the country's capacities in weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and early warning to better respond to natural disasters.

The ceremony was held in the presence of representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and relevant Malagasy institutions. The donation includes a set of meteorological and information technology equipment.

Madagascar's Minister of Transport and Meteorology Herizo Andrianavalona Ramanambola expressed gratitude to China for its support in modernizing the country's meteorological and climate services.

"These (donated equipment) will improve data processing, bulletin production, meteorological information communication and operational continuity," he said, adding that they would also help make meteorological services "faster, more reliable and more useful" for public decision-making.

Chinese Ambassador to Madagascar Ji Ping said that the project aims to strengthen the capacity of Malagasy institutions in meteorological data collection, information processing, early warning dissemination, and disaster risk management, as well as to provide stronger technical support for disaster prevention and reduction efforts and the protection of lives and property in Madagascar.

"China is ready to continue its cooperation with the Malagasy government and the international community. Taking the implementation of the Global Development Initiative as an opportunity, we hope to deepen our cooperation in climate change response, green development, and disaster risk management, so as to jointly strengthen our capacity to address global challenges," he said.

For his part, UNDP Resident Representative in Madagascar Edward A. Christow said that the equipment represented "much more than simple material support," and that the contribution demonstrated "the solidarity of the partnership between China, UNDP, and the government of Madagascar."

"Through its financial support and sustained cooperation, China makes concrete contributions to strengthening climate resilience in Madagascar," he added.

Madagascar is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the Indian Ocean region. The island nation is hit every year by several tropical cyclones, causing floods, landslides, and significant damage, often leaving large numbers of people affected. Enditem