News

Date: 17 to 19 October 2018

Venue: Hotel Royal ACE, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) had conducted Development Partners Workshop at Royal ACE Hotel for three days, from (17.10.2018) to (19.10.2018). Director General of DMH, Representative of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr Dimitar Ivanov, Executive Assistant to the WMO Secretary-General on Public-Private Partnerships, Representatives of World Bank, Representatives of DMH’s Development Partners: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Meteorological Institute of Norway, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and Regional Integrated Multi Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), and the invited Agencies’ Representatives from Deltares, ITCZ, Hong Kong Observatory and Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), the Representatives of line Ministries of Myanmar, DMH Senior Officials, International Advisors to Component 2 of AIRBM Project and NIRAS Key Experts, totally (53) persons were attended at the Workshop.

During the 3 days Development Partners workshop, DMH Strategy of transformation, DMH Concept of Operations, how development partners are contributed and collaborated for the improvement of DMH services, the challenges facing by DMH for development activities, and how the AIRBM project links to the DMH strategy are discussed on the first day. The whole second day and the third day morning sessions were conducted as brainstorming sessions on the specific topics of flood forecasting and warning services, climate services, service delivery and early warning system, DMH system integration, agro-meteorology services, capacity building, maintenance and operations, and sustainability of investments.

The outcome of brainstorming discussion was quite productive and it could define some possible ways and means to achieve the challenges and the difficulties of DMH with the cooperation of development partners and stakeholders and the guidance of WMO and World Bank. The workshop met its objective: ‘to avoid duplication of effort and strengthen links between planned activities’ and ‘to identify the barriers and constraints on technical aspects to making more rapid progress towards improved operational services’ to some extent.

Figure 1:Stage Setting of DMH Development Partners Workshop

Figure 2: Opening Remark by Dr. Kyaw Moe Oo (Director General)

Figure 3: DMH Development Partners

Figure 4: 1^st Day Workshop (U Shape Discussion)

Figure 5: Presented by Dr. Kyaw Moe Oo (DG)

Figure 6: 2^nd& 3^rd Day (Round tables Discussion)

Figure 7: Participants in 3days Workshop (DG with Ladies Group)

Figure 8:Participants in 3days Workshop (DG with Gentlemen Group)

C-2 ,DMH, NIRAS Firm and World Bank Team
(13th to 14th Sep,2018) at World Bank Office, Hilton Hotel,NPT

(12th Sep, 2018)At DMH,NPT

AIRBM Project Component 3 held stakeholder consultation on 13 August (Monday) at Triumph Hotel Ball Room, Mandalay.

U Ye Min Oo, on behalf of the civilian, welcomes the new aids to navigation installation noting as the remarkable achievement for IWT sector.

Fig 1. U Ye Min Oo, Pathein Gyi Regional Parliament Member giving opening speech

U Win Hlaing, Project Director of AIRBMP delivered the opening speech presenting about the project background. The project is running with the $100 million credit from the World Bank for improving all round water resource management and modernization of information systems for weather forecast and navigation improvement of Mandalay-Nyaung-U waterway as the first pilot project. Under the project, there are three main components and the installation of aids to navigation is being carried out by Component-3. Some $38 million is being used for Mandalay-Nyaung-U waterway development for both structural and nonstructural improvement during 2015-2020 fiscal years.

Fig 2. U Win Hlaing, Project Director of AIRBM/ Director of River Conservation Dept, DWIR

U Aung Myo Khaing, Component-3 Director of AIRBMP, explained the role of DWIR in this new aids to navigation system installation and detail information of the system as well as implementation plan to the audience. Starting from the last week of August, 20 aids to navigation will be installed from Mandalay to ancient Innwa city, according to the project director. The installation activities will be completed by January 2019. He added. “At present people can only travel during day time. After the installation, the ship can travel at any time. The buoys are made with polyethylene attached with chains. Four types of buoy: lateral buoys (Red color and Green color), Midfairway buoys and danger buoy along with the two types of shoremark will be installed. The price of each navigational tool varies from US$5,000 (K7.49 million) to $10,000 and around $2 million has been spent for 216 buoys to be installed between Mandalay-Nyaung U stretch as the first phase. He explained that the project will complete the installation of the aids to navigation between Mandalay-Yangon waterway by 2020. DWIR also plan to offer the training to skippers on how to use the buoys as well as broad public awareness program through public media.

Fig 3. U Aung Myo Khaing, Component-3 Director of AIRBM/Director of Research and Planning Department, DWIR

Fig 4: Mr. Mark Fitter, Navigation Expert, Mobilis (Most left)

Fig 5: People from Private Sectors, Government Sectors, NGOs and PSOs were attending the event

Fig 6: Q&A Session