First AMMA International Conference, Dakar 2005

AMMA's First International Conference was held in Dakar, Senegal, November 28 - December 4 2005.
It included a workshop on impacts the last two days.

Group picture of the Dakar conference participants
Proceedings
Accepted abtracts
Programme with downloadable presentations
Acknowledgements

Conference outline

AMMA first international conference aimed to bring together researchers from around the world working on the WAM and its impacts, to review ongoing research activities and to discuss future contributions and directions within the AMMA research programme. It also provided the first real opportunity for establishing and coordinating collaborations at the international level, and in particular with African scientists. 

Substantial efforts were made to ensure good attendance at the conference, particularly from Africans in the region. Expectations were significantly exceeded with more than 300 abstracts received and 255 participants from 23 countries, including at least 70 Africans. This enthusiasm for AMMA is a strong endorsement for what AMMA is working to achieve.

The conference took place within the enhanced observing period (EOP) and just ahead of the AMMA special observing period (SOP) in 2006. The conference was an ideal occasion to review and discuss the plans for the observing campaign as well as the opportunities for related research activities.

AMMA activities are coordinated through 5 international working groups. These 5 research areas constituted the main themes of the conference. More on the conference themes

Download conference flyer in English or in French

Highlights of parallel working sessions

WG1: West African Monsoon and Global Climate
WG2: Water Cycle
WG3: Land-Surface-Atmosphere Feedbacks
WG4: Prediction of Climate Impacts
WG5: High Impact Weather Prediction and Predictability

Funding of the conference and logistical help

The International Organisation team of the conference would like to thank especially the following institutions who enabled the conference by funding participants and / or logistical help during the conference:

The AMMA-EU project (FP6 contract 004089-2) funded the participation of 15 young scientists. The fellowships were awarded to the candidates based on their excellence and with the most promising projects within AMMA. The awarded students and young post docs were involved in AMMA within one of the following institutions partners of the AMMA-EU project: CNRS (France), IRD (France and Benin), UPS (France), IGUC (Copenhaguen), AGRHYMET (Niger), Météo France (France), CNR (Italy), University of Liverpool (UK), EIER (Burkina Faso), UCM (Spain), University of Leeds (UK).

The French institutions (CNRS/INSU, CNES, IRD, Météo-France, IFREMER) participating into the funding of AMMA France allowed the participation of a large number of African colleagues in addition to the funding received from IGAC, DoE (ARM), EU (AMMA-EU), SCAC of the French Embassies Niamey, Senegal, Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso...), UNESCO/CO