FIO Experts Invited to GOOS-AFRICA Meeting

From May 13 to 17, 2024, invited by Prof. Kouadio Affian, Chair of GOOS-AFRICA, Prof. GUO Jingsong, Senior Engineer of the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) and Dr. WANG Shizhu, Associate Researcher and Executive Director of UN Ocean Decade Ocean to Climate Seamless Forecasting System (OSF) Programme Office attended the GOOS-AFRICA Meeting in Côte d'Ivoire and delivered reports. The meeting brought together more than 50 experts from over 20 countries and organizations.

At the meeting, Prof. GUO Jingsong and Dr. WANG Shizhu gave a review of OSF Programme and presented the new-generation smart GNSS buoy respectively. Developed independently by the OSF Programme, the GNSS buoy highly responds to the urgent need of African regions for low-cost ocean observing. Underpinned by breakthroughs in key technologies including precise positioning, with the Beidou positioning signals, the GNSS buoy is easy to deploy, and capable of capturing multiple parameters at a very low cost. The new-generation buoy received attention and applause from representatives, who noted that it is of important significance for addressing the severe shortage of ocean observing facilities in Africa. Their presentations not only demonstrated the advanced technology and innovative capacity of OSF in ocean observing, but also brought important opportunities for OSF to expand new partnerships in ocean and climate fields with African countries. 

Group photo of participants of the GOOS-AFRICA Meeting

During the meeting, at the invitation of Mr. Jacques ASSAHORE, Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition of Côte d'Ivoire, Prof. GUO Jingsong and Dr. WANG Shizhu joined an informal meeting with two scientific representatives from other organizations. Mr. Jacques ASSAHORE pointed out that Africa is now at a crossroads of developing ocean science, and the in-depth involvement of scientists from Côte d'Ivoire in OSF Programme will contribute to the provision of ocean science-based solution for addressing current problems in ocean development in Africa. The cooperation on ocean science and technology between the two sides is bound to deepen the long-lasting friendship between the two sides.

Delegation led by Mr. Jacques ASSAHORE met with FIO scientists

Africa constitutes an important component of OSF global partnership network. With the successful implementation of its Ocean to Climate Seamless Forecasting in Africa (OSFiA) Project, OSF has reached out to nearly 30 institutes from 25 African countries. Through this visit to Côte d'Ivoire, the OSF delegation not only presented China’s strength and innovative outcomes of ocean observation, but also set new directions for the cooperation between China and African countries on ocean and climate research. In the future, FIO will continuously strengthen the scientific research cooperation with African countries and push forward the development of global ocean observations.