A recent visit of Seychelles Meteorological Authority (SMA) staff to the GeoSphere Austria Institute was made possible with the support of three WMO projects. The CREWS ASW Seychelles and CREWS SWIO projects, in coordination with the WMO support to the Hydromet Project , facilitated the visit from 10 to 12 February 2026 with the primary objectives of discussing mechanisms for institutional strengthening, identifying technical and scientific areas for collaboration, and exploring the establishment of a formal partnership.
Strategic partnerships with advanced national meteorological and hydrological services such as GeoSphere Austria are essential for strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing multi-hazard early warning systems, improving the delivery of climate services, and advancing disaster risk reduction efforts. Such collaborations enable knowledge transfer, technical exchange, and exposure to innovative techniques and technologies that can significantly improve national meteorological services.
During the visit, the SMA delegation built on existing expertise and gained hands-on experience in several key areas of climate services. Particular focus was placed on the potential development and delivery of commercial climate services, multi-hazard impact-based forecasting and advice services, and the application of tools such as nowcasting. The discussions also explored how GeoSphere Austria could provide technical support to SMA in customizing and operationalizing the use of data and products from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), following the recent adoption of its open-data policy and the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) dedicated datasets for beneficiary NMHSs such as SMA.
These discussions are aligned with the five strategic goals of SMA, which focus on strengthening institutional capacity, fostering international partnerships, leveraging science and technology, and enhancing technical capabilities in impact-based forecasting and climate services.
A key achievement of the visit was the identification of areas for collaboration and their prioritization. Going forward, the next steps include signing a Memorandum of Understanding and the development of a related work plan for implementation. This visit establishes a concrete framework for strategic collaboration and provides a structured pathway to support the achievement of SMA's strategic objectives.
