Ethiopia Shares Best Experiences on Modernizing Data for IGAD Member States

Addis Ababa, May 20, 2025 (ENA) -- Ethiopia has shared its modernizing data and on how to organize institutions to IGAD member countries, Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa revealed.

Briefing water ministers of IGAD member countries and senior experts about Ethiopia’s best experiences in modernizing data and on how to organize institutions today, Habtamu stated that Ethiopia has done significant work on how data is modernizing in hydrology, and methodology among others.

The other experience you can have from Ethiopia is how we are organizing institutions, he said, adding we have high-level institutional staffs and most of them have research capacities as well.

So, he added when we talk about data, it is about scientific data, which will serve as an input for any decision for IGAD. 

During the occasion, the minister also stressed the need to share similar crucial experiences among member countries which will help us on how we can share data for the betterment of the region.

IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) Officer in Charge Abdi Fidar said for his part that data sharing is very crucial and he praised Ethiopia for sharing its best experiences.

“We need to get the data from our member states. If you get the right data, you will be able to predict what is happening.”

Stating that ICPAC monthly updates the weather forecast, he said, but it is meaningless if the forecast is not accessed by IGAD member states.

Recall that the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), in collaboration with partners, organized the 70th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 70) from 19th to 20th of May 2025 in Addis Ababa.

The forum, an annual gathering organized three times a year by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), brings together climate scientists, meteorologists, sector experts, and policymakers from across the region and beyond.