On February 29 and March 1, 2024, the World Bank’s disaster risk management team for Central Asia organized a regional workshop with 44 participants (26 men and 18 women), including representatives of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and National Disaster Risk Management Agencies from all five Central Asian countries, relevant regional entities, and development partners. The event was financed through a grant from the GFDRR Japan-World Bank Program on Strengthening Regional Hydromet in Central Asia and benefited from technical support and participation by the World Meteorological Organization and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.  

The workshop laid the foundation for a regional roadmap and action plan to strengthen hydrometeorological services in Central Asia. Key issues discussed included the enhancement of hydromet infrastructure, data collection, processing, forecasting, warning dissemination, and service delivery. The discussions took place in the context of an on-going dialogue on hydromet service delivery in the region and built on the achievements of the recently completed Central Asia Hydrometeorology Modernization Project (CAHMP), which delivered significant enhancements in regional  hydrometeorological cooperation and established the Central Asia Flood Early Warning System (CAFEWS).

The objective of the roadmap and action plan is to improve and foster transboundary cooperation on water and weather forecasting. This can be achieved by (i) fostering regional cooperation platforms on data, knowledge, and service provision based on digital transformation, (ii) supporting the shift of National Hydromet Services to become Climate Service Centers for key economic sectors; and (iii) modernizing observation networks, enterprise digital solutions, and forecasting systems. Building on the achievements of CAHMP, focus is needed on “fit for purpose” and “fit for budget” service delivery and user engagement, embracing new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and leveraging regional and global systems, products, and opportunities. 

Hydrometeorological services are crucial for informed early warnings and decision-making in sectors like energy and agriculture, and critical for helping manage weather and climate risks. On average, for every dollar spent on early warning systems, the benefit is about nine times that amount. And when it comes to improving ground-level observations in places where there isn't much data, the return is even more impressive—over 25 times the investment.