ABU DHABI, 17th March, 2023 (WAM) -- The UAE's National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) have signed a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) aimed at enhancing their scientific and technical cooperation capabilities in the fields of Seismology and Meteorology. The primary goal of the programme is to integrate solutions for monitoring seismic activity in the region, particularly in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman, and to better understand the potential of such activities to generate Tsunamis.

Under the TCP, the NCM and PMD will cooperate in several fields, including Marine Meteorological Services, Hydrology and Flood Forecasting, Seismology, and scientific research. The programme also involves the exchange of seismic information 24/7 to enhance the capabilities of seismic networks and monitoring.

The TCP was signed by Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al Mandoos, Director of the NCM, and Mahr Sahibzad Khan, Director-General of the PMD and Permanent Representative of Pakistan with WMO, at the World Meteorological Organisation Regional Conference (RECO) in the Regional Association II held in Abu Dhabi from 13th-16th March, 2023.

Commenting on the signing of the Technical Cooperation Programme, Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al Mandoos emphasised the importance of monitoring and assessing seismic activity in the UAE and the region, and the need for cutting-edge research and collaborative efforts to develop systems and solutions to minimize the risks and damages caused by future seismic activity and tsunamis. He highlighted the significance of knowledge transfers within the scientific community to achieve this goal.

Mahr Sahibzad Khan expressed his delight in working with the UAE's National Centre of Meteorology and its team on this project. He emphasised the importance of monitoring meteorological and seismic activity, integrating and analyzing new data, and promoting academic discoveries in these groundbreaking fields. He noted that the partnership between the two countries will lead to faster and more reliable forecasts of Tsunamis propagating through the Oman Sea, benefiting the coastal areas of Pakistan and Northeast of the UAE.

The TCP aims to strengthen the relationship between the two countries by integrating weather and seismic activity data and developing special capacities for Tsunami models research. This will facilitate faster and more reliable forecasts of Tsunamis in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman, benefiting both countries and the Arab region. Additionally, the programme will enhance technical cooperation and expertise exchange by providing support to the Tsunami Early Warning Centre (TEWC) with advanced forecast modelling software designed to support Tsunami forecasting operations.