Ghana Deepens Marine Collaboration with Togo under GMES and Africa

A four-member delegation from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), led by Deputy Director-General for Operations, Mr. Ignatius Kweku Williams visited Togo from the 16th to 19th June 2025 to strengthen cross-border cooperation on marine services under the GMES and Africa programme. The team joined a regional End-User Engagement and Feedback Workshop, which formed part of ongoing collaboration between Ghana and Togo to improve marine forecasting, early warning systems, and maritime safety. The visit was also built on earlier joint training efforts that supported the development and rollout of an ocean state alert system in Togo.

The workshop opened with a brief ceremony chaired by senior officials from the Togolese Maritime Prefecture, the High Council for the Sea, and GMet. In his remarks, Colonel Neyo Takougnadi of the Maritime Prefecture urged participants to take ownership of marine services that protect coastal populations and strengthen national maritime strategies. Mr. Ignatius Kweku Williams highlighted the importance of sustained institutional partnerships that extend beyond the project’s lifespan. He stressed that resilient marine services and effective regional information exchange require long-term cooperation anchored in national policy frameworks.

The first day featured strategic presentations on marine initiatives. GMet provided an overview of the Ocean State Alert System developed in Ghana, while Togolese counterparts shared progress on their marine forecasting efforts. The sessions offered participants a clear picture of current capacities and helped map out future technical collaboration.

Day two shifted focus to capacity building and hands-on learning. Participants engaged in a session on ocean observation for environmental monitoring, followed by practical training on interpreting impact-based marine forecasts and early warning messages. A group discussion on cross-border collaboration closed the day, with participants identifying ways to enhance coordination and data sharing between the two countries.

On the final day, the GMet delegation paid a courtesy call to the High Council for the Sea, where discussions focused on aligning GMES and Africa services with national strategies in maritime governance, fisheries, and coastal development. The team then visited a coastal fishing community, where they interacted directly with fishers and local leaders. Discussions centred on the value of localized, timely marine forecasts in supporting safer fishing practices and sustainable livelihoods. As a symbolic gesture, GMet presented maritime flags to the community’s fishing leaders, meant to support daily ocean condition awareness and replace worn-out flags currently in use.

The visit ended with a short closing ceremony, capping off a productive knowledge exchange and reaffirming Ghana and Togo’s joint commitment to building stronger, climate-resilient marine services across the Gulf of Guinea.

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