EU and AU strengthen their cooperation on earth observation applications in Africa

From meteorological applications to monitoring of environment and security: – 29 march 2012- Today, a Financing Agreement was signed between the African Union Commission (AUC) and the European Commission to facilitate sustainable access to Africa-wide environmental information derived from Earth Observation technologies. Through this agreement, the EU will fund a new 37 million EUR programme ‘Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa (MESA). MESA will be implemented by the AUC and aims at enhancing earth observation applications in Africa.

Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AUC, signed on behalf of the AU, while Ms. Francesca MOSCA, Director of EUROPAID Sub-Saharan Africa signed on behalf of the EU.

The programme will run until 2018, with the objective to address the need for improved management of natural resources and environmental security towards sustainable development in Africa, at continental, regional and national levels, including all Sub-Saharan African countries.

MESA will bring added value to several areas: monitoring of soil and water conditions for agriculture, tracking forest degradation and desertification, providing information to policy and decision makers in order to lessen and/or adapt to effects of climate change and reducing the risks of natural and human made disasters.

The programme builds on over 10 years of EU support to earth observation applications in Africa and brings the EU financial contribution through the European Development Fund to a total of nearly 70 million EUR since 2001¹.

MESA is a follow up programme of the African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD).  Fore more information, please consult AMESD website: www.amesd.org

For more information, please contact:

M.Christophe BOULIERAC, EU/AU Press Attaché, Delegation of the EU to the AU

Tel +251 911 511 619, Email address: Christophe.boulierac@ext.eeas.europa.eu

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission, Tel. Mob. +251 911 630-631, E-mail: molalett@africa-union.org

AU Commission

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