Nigeria and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the conduct of meteorological science, technical research, and development as part of efforts to strengthen their bilateral relations.
The MoU was signed over the weekend in Abuja by the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, Professor Mansur Matazu, and the Director-General of the Indian Meteorological Department, Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, who signed on behalf of IMD, according to a statement made by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Public Affairs, James Odaudu.
The MoU was signed recently in Geneva, Switzerland, during the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Executive Council meeting.
Explaining the essence of the MoU, the Director-General of NiMet, Professor Mansur Matazu, said the main objective of the proposed collaboration was to provide bilateral relationship between NiMet and its Indian counterpart towards meteorological development in the two countries.
According to the MoU, the parties have agreed to work together in the provision of WMO-standardised services in Numerical Weather Prediction Capability, Meteorological Sensor Designing and Satellite Meteorology.
Other proposed areas of collaboration include scientific research on meteorology and its applications in various sectors, ‘nowcasting’ and early warning capabilities and capacity building activities.
The MoU also provided that all inventions, improvements, original works and/or discoveries, which are conceived or made during collaborative projects will remain the property of both parties who will jointly have right to seek the intellectual property protection.
Both parties are also expected to ensure that such cooperation consists of their respective laws, rules, regulations and other international agreements to which both parties are signatories.
In order to ensure a seamless implementation of the memorandum, the two countries resolved that a technical committee of six members (three members representing each of the parties) shall be set up to implement the MoU, while the position of chairman of the committee shall alternate between the parties on annual basis.
The technical committee shall have the responsibility of advising on legal, training and financial procedures for the implementation of the MoU and monitoring the progress of the collaboration and preparing annual reports.
Speaking after the event, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who oversaw the signing ceremony, alongside the Indian High Mission to Geneva, said the signing of the MoU marked another milestone in the unprecedented growth of NiMet under the Buhari administration.
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