Head of UAE's weather bureau in the running for top global post

Abdulla Al Mandous is the country's official candidate for presidency of the World Meteorological Organisation

Abdulla Al Mandous, director general of the UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology. Victor Besa / The National

The chief of the UAE’s weather bureau is in the running for a prestigious global position.

Abdulla Al Mandous, director general of the National Centre of Meteorology, has been put forward by the UAE for the 2023 to 2027 presidency of the World Meteorological Organisation, it was announced on Wednesday.

Mr Al Mandous has had a distinguished 30-year career in meteorology and climate science, and, during his time at the NCM, has overseen a major modernisation of the country’s meteorological and seismological networks.

He led the NCM’s efforts to establish the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, presided over the centre's pioneering cloud seeding initiative and contributed to the development of the Arabian Peninsula integrated radar observing system.

The WMO is an agency of the United Nations and functions as the global authority on weather, climate and the environmental issues. Mr Al Mandous is currently the UAE’s permanent representative to the WMO and also serves as president of its regional association, covering Asia.

“The UAE's official announcement in support of my WMO presidency candidacy reiterates the importance the country attaches to meteorology, weather, climate and related water and environmental issues,” said Mr Al Mandous.

“It is a top priority for our country to ensure that it pools its expertise and human capital with other national and global organisations to accelerate the development of comprehensive early warning systems to protect lives from the impacts of natural disasters.

"In supporting WMO in its efforts to lead the development of cutting-edge meteorological technologies, the UAE seeks to ensure accurate and reliable climate-related data and services for the benefit of communities across the globe.”

Mr Al Mandous was nominated by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and a decision on WMO president is expected by May.

If successful, Mr Al Mandous will seek to accelerate efforts to ensure UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres's call to ensure that “every person on the Earth is protected by early warning systems in the next five years” is achieved. He will also aim to bolster the world’s resilience to extreme weather and climate events.

Cloud seeding in the UAE — in pictures

Hygroscopic (water-attracting) salt flares are attached to an aircraft at Al Ain International Airport before a cloud-seeding flight operated by the National Centre of Meteorology. The UAE has been leading the effort to seed clouds and increase precipitation, which remains at less than 100 millimetres a year on average. All photos by Reuters

Pilot Michael Anstis writes a weather report before the cloud-seeding flight from Al Ain.

An airport employee closes an aircraft door, with hygroscopic salt flares seen in the background, before the cloud-seeding flight.

Pilots Michael Anstis and Ahmed Al Jaberi receive instructions before the flight.

The control room at the National Centre of Meteorology in Abu Dhabi.

An explanatory hologram of the cloud-seeding process in the National Centre of Meteorology control room in Abu Dhabi.

Cloud-seeding flares in the National Centre of Meteorology control room.

Hygroscopic salt flares are attached to an aircraft during a cloud-seeding flight between Al Ain and Al Hayer. At 9,000 feet above sea level, the plane releases the flares into the most promising white clouds, hoping to trigger rainfall.

Hygroscopic salt flares are attached to an aircraft during a cloud-seeding flight. Scientists in Abu Dhabi combine shooting the flares with releasing salt nanoparticles, a newer technology, into the clouds to stimulate and accelerate the condensation process and hopefully produce droplets big enough to then fall as rain.

Flares are released during a cloud-seeding flight between Al Ain and Al Hayer.

Employees walk towards a hangar at Al Ain International Airport after a cloud-seeding flight.