Mauritius Meteorological Services consults stakeholders on strategic plan to strengthen weather and climate resilience

The Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS), under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office, is engaging key national stakeholders in the development of its Strategic Plan 2027–2031, aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to evolving weather and climate risks.

In this context, a half-day stakeholders’ consultation workshop was held today at the MMS Headquarters in Vacoas, bringing together representatives of institutions involved such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre, Central Water Authority, Central Electricity Board, Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, Statistics Mauritius, National Coast Guard, Special Mobile Force, Ministry of National Infrastructure and Ministry of Local Government, Red Cross Mauritius and Mauritius Oceanography Institute, amongst others.

The consultation forms part of the process of refining and validating the proposed Strategic Plan, with stakeholders invited to share their expectations, identify priority areas and provide practical inputs on the future services and capabilities required from the MMS.

The exercise is being undertaken with the support of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and is also aligned with national priorities, including Government’s Bridge to the Future Programme.

The Acting Director of the MMS, Dr Prithiviraj Booneeady, highlighted that the proposed plan seeks to move the Service forward through stronger observation, monitoring, forecasting and communication capabilities. He pointed to the need for additional and more effective automatic weather stations, improved communication systems and greater use of technology to strengthen the collection and analysis of weather data.

He also stressed the importance of building the technical capacity of MMS personnel and securing sustainable funding for the implementation of the plan. While Government remains a key source of support, he noted that partnerships with national, regional and international donors will also be important to finance the modernisation projects required by the Service. He further underlined the need for continuous monitoring of weather and climate patterns, including regional drivers such as the Indian Ocean Dipole, particularly in view of Mauritius’ exposure to extreme weather and cyclonic activity.

The Strategic Plan is being prepared by the CEO of Strategos Ltd, Mr Fareed Jaunbocus, with the consultant having been engaged with the support of the WMO. According to Mr Jaunbocus, the exercise goes beyond preparing a policy document and seeks to establish a practical roadmap for transforming the MMS into a modern provider of meteorological intelligence.

He explained that climate change is increasing the need for reliable and sector-specific information, as different users from aviation and maritime activities to agriculture, water management and disaster risk reduction have different requirements. The success of the plan, he stressed, will depend on its implementation, requiring stronger collaboration, institutional transformation, commitment and a change in organisational mindset.

The Strategic Plan seeks to position the MMS as a modern, trusted and future-ready National Meteorological and Hydrological Service, capable of delivering timely and authoritative intelligence to protect lives, support national development and strengthen Mauritius’ resilience to a changing climate.

Proposed Strategic Plan 2027 - 2031

The proposed Strategic Plan responds to a changing environment in which Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, faces multiple and interconnected risks, including tropical cyclones, flash floods, coastal inundation, drought, heat stress, climate variability and marine hazards. At the same time, technological developments are creating opportunities to make greater use of data, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to improve forecasting and decision-making.

Against this backdrop, the proposed strategic direction is centred on five goals: strengthening weather, climate, ocean and hydrological services; modernising observation infrastructure, technology and operations; strengthening national, regional and international partnerships; advancing research, innovation, digital transformation and public outreach; and developing human capital, organisational excellence and institutional sustainability.

The plan will also provide a framework for aligning national priorities with WMO requirements and international initiatives, while helping the MMS mobilise technical and financial support for priority investments.

21 August 2026

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Topics: Weather, Climate Change