The SOFF Investment Phase Project has formally launched in the Maldives to strengthen the country’s early warning systems and systematic observation networks.
Project activities include upgrading four existing surface-based stations, installing one new surface station in N.Maafaru and upgrading one upper-air station. The organizations will also strengthen ICT systems, draft an organizational strategy and gender policy for MMS, engage stakeholders and conduct extensive technical training.
Inception workshop
The Government of Maldives has marked the launch with the Inception Workshop. This event convened national stakeholders, international partners and technical collaborators to align on the project’s objectives, present and endorse the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Project Steering Committee, clarify roles and responsibilities, and discuss planned activities.
The workshop also served as a platform for technical discussions on the project workplan, key next steps, timeline and operational matters, fostering a shared understanding and coordination among all stakeholders involved.
Key partners
The SOFF-funded UNEP Investment Phase Project in Maldives is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by the Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) under the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
The project has the support of a peer advisor – the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) – and a technical partner, the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES).
Early warning goals
The project is designed to close critical observational data gaps, strengthen MMS’s institutional and human capacities and ensure that observational data is shared in line with WMO standards, including through the WIS 2.0 platform.
It forms part of the country’s climate adaptation strategies, outlined in national documents such as the Nationally Determined Contributions and the First Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC.
In line with this vision, the Maldives was selected among the first 30 countries to receive support under the United Nations secretary-general’s Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. This has opened a pathway for Maldives to participate in the SOFF, which supports compliance with the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
In related news, the 11th SOFF Steering Committee recently extended the SOFF’s first implementation period until June 2027, and further developed the SOFF Impact Bond, envisioned to mobilize up to US$200m. Read the full story here