The EU will fund this €37 million programme through the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) and thanks to the joint efforts and cooperation between the EU, the AUC, the African Carribean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Secretariat and five Regional Economic Communities (SADC, ECOWAS, CEMAC, IGAD and IOC). 

MESA will be implemented by the AUC and will run until 2018, with the objective of addressing 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 is a follow-on programme of African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD). It is clearly oriented toward the strengthening of capacities for the use of Earth observation in Africa, with a dedicated focus on climate and environmental applications. Among other activities, MESA will secure the maintenance and upgrade of the EUMETCast reception stations deployed by AMESD and support the development of operational services based on Earth observation data, primarily EUMETSAT data and products.

EUMETSAT will contribute to the MESA programme through the provision of its data and products free of charge for MESA services and users, technical support for the maintenance of EUMETCast reception stations, the use of EUMETCast for MESA-related product dissemination over Africa, first-line support of users through the EUMETSAT Help Desk and support of the co-ordination of training activities.

These efforts are a central piece of the EUMETSAT contribution to the implementation of the 2nd Action Plan of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, in particular with respect to Partnership 6, which is dedicated to climate and the environment, and Partnership 8, which is dedicated to science, information society and space.

More information please read the Press Release of the EU and AUC or visit the AMESD website. 

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