Nairobi — From the 19-20 October 2017, WISER core group of partners gathered at Amber Hotel in Nairobi to articulate a robust knowledge management and influence strategy to support WISER phase II. The event was a culmination of a process to formulate a knowledge support framework to strengthen the impact and reach of the WISER programme.

Specifically, the objectives of the event were to contextualize WISER knowledge management and its progress metrics; review and update the WISER policy and enabling environment component (PEEC) and East Africa component influence matrices; and to rreview and update the joint WISER knowledge management strategy.

In addition to the two WISER implementing partners, participants at the event included representatives from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center (ICPAC), the Pan Africa Media Alliance on Climate Change (PAMACC), the Africa Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) and knowledge management practitioners.

After two days of intense and insightful introspection and assessment of the draft WISER knowledge management and influence strategy, the experts concurred on improved drafts of the WISER influence matrices for both East Africa and PEEC; updated draft of the WISER knowledge management strategy, ready for validation by WISER stakeholders; and a shared understanding of the collaboration with ACMAD and GFCS on developing a CIS decision making tool.

Media partners from PAMACC invited to shed light on mechanisms to enhance the collaboration with WISER on the diffusion and democratization of CIS in Africa provided an expose of their pan-Africa media network and their climate news portal (www.pamacc.org). They voiced readiness to disseminate WISER knowledge products and key messages.