World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873 during the Vienna Congress. Established in 1950, the WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences in 1951. It is the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the land and oceans, the weather and climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.
WMO has a membership of 185 Member States. By its structure WMO is composed of the World Meteorological Congress, which is the supreme body of WMO, the Executive Council, which implements the decisions, six Regional Associations, which are responsible for the coordination of activities within their respective Regions and eight Technical Commissions. WMO’s headquarter is in Geneva, Switzerland.
WMO has President, three Vice-Presidents and Secretary-General. David Grimes (Canada) was re-elected the President of the WMO by the World Meteorological Congress in 2015. Petteri Taalas (Finland) is the Secretary-General of WMO since 1 January 2016.
The Republic of Azerbaijan became the member of WMO on 27 December 1993.
The Republic of Azerbaijan has close mutual relations with WMO. Delegations of the Republic of Azerbaijan are participating at the sessions of the World Meteorological Congress, the Executive Council and the Regional Association for Europe, as well as at other meetings of WMO. In different years representatives of WMO have visited Azerbaijan.
On 3 September 1993, the Government of Azerbaijan joined the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization.
On 30 June 2003, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Heydar Aliyev, signed an Order on ensuring realization of cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the World Meteorological Organization. By this Order the realization of cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and WMO was entrusted to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Selected highlights:
- The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the Permanent Mission at the High Level Meeting on National Drought Policy organized by WMO in collaboration with the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization held on 11-15 March 2013 in Geneva.
- The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation composed of the representatives of the relevant authorities during the 65th session of WMO Executive Council held on 15-23 May 2013 and at the 1st session of the International Board on Climate Services held on 1-5 July 2013 in Geneva.
- The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation composed of the representatives of the relevant authorities at the 15th Session of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (Conjoint ICAO/WMO Meteorology Divisional Meeting) held on 15-16 July 2014 in Montreal and at the 2nd session of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services, which was held on 10-14 November 2014 in Geneva.
- Representatives of the National Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources attended the 17th World Meteorological Congress held on 25 May - 12 June 2015 in Geneva.
- On 4 May 2016 courtesy meeting was held between Amb. Vaqif Sadiqov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva and Mr. Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General. They discussed the state of relations and perspectives for future cooperation during the meeting and expressed their confidence for further development of the existing successful cooperation.
- Mr. Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General paid visit to Azerbaijan on 23-25th April 2018. During the visit, WMO Secretary-General held meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chair of the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development Mr. Ali Ahmadov, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mr. Mukhtar Babayev and deputy foreign minister Mr. Mahmud Mammad-Quliyev.
- Within the visit Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan and World Meteorological Organization.
- During his visit to Baku, Mr. Petteri Taalas participated and delivered opening statement at the Conference entitled “The important role of Early Warning System in development of National Adaptation Actions: Perspectives of cooperation with WMO”.
- On January 29th - February 1st, 2019 delegation headed by Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan paid working visit to Geneva. One of the objectives of the visit was to further discuss the issues arising from the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the visit of WMO Secretary-General to Azerbaijan.
- The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by Ms. Umayra Taghiyeva, Director of the National Hydrometeorology Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 18th World Meteorological Congress held on 3-14 June 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.
