The Africa Union Commission (AUC) on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, will inaugurate the AU-AMESD project satellite receiving station at the AUC Headquarters, in Addis Ababa.

AMESD is financed by the European Union (EU) with the general objective of enhancing environmental monitoring for preparedness and adaptation, as well as management of, the African environment, thereby contributing to poverty alleviation. Meanwhile, the purpose of the AMESD project is to increase the information management capacity of the African continental, regional, and national institutions in support of decision making processes at different levels to facilitate sustainable access to Africa wide environmental information based on Earth Observation (EO) system. The project is using existing satellite data receiving stations for downloading data and help capacity building in data analysis of meteorological applications for development and policy advice in the environment and natural resources field. The inauguration ceremony is expected to take place in the presence of H.E Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AUC; Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the AUC; other AUC Commissioners and Directors; Dr. Lars Prahm, Director General of EUMETSAT; Mr. Christophe Kamp, EU Delegation to the AU, Embassies of AU Member States in Addis Ababa, African Development Bank (AfDB), UN agencies, Ethiopian delegation and staff of AUC.