Capacity building for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS): Development needs and requirements for Eastern Africa

Abstract

The participation of Eastern Africa countries in global oceanographic programmes like the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere (TOGA), and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), has been hampered by limited capacity for research in physical oceanography and marine meteorology. The network of tide gauges installed with assistance from the University of Hawaii, within the framework of the TOGA experiment is the best developed ocean observing network in the region. In recent years several bilateral, regional and multilateral initiatives have been arranged to try and develop capacity through both manpower training and the provision of equipment. The biological and fisheries sciences, in particular have benefited substantially from these initiatives. However, a lot still remains to be done to ensure availability of a critical mass of scientists and technicians which will enable the region to develop an ocean observing system, and participate meaningfully in global oceanographic programmes.