Jeddah: A regional capacity-building workshop on sand and dust storm analysis and modeling concluded yesterday in Jeddah, organized by the Sand and Dust Storm Regional Center of the National Center for Meteorology, in cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the League of Arab States, and the Barcelona Dust Regional Center. The event saw participation from experts and representatives across Arab and West Asian countries.

According to Saudi Press Agency, participants expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Sand and Dust Storm Regional Center, for its exceptional work in training national and regional personnel and developing technical skills in sand and dust storm monitoring, analysis, and modeling. They commended the center’s vital role in connecting countries to combat sand and dust storm and mitigate its impacts on public health, the environment, and the economy.

Sand and Dust Storm Regional Center Executive Director Jumaan Al-Qahtani stated that the workshop is part of the center’s ongoing efforts to transfer knowledge, exchange experiences, and build technical and human capacities among member states.

He highlighted that the center, as the fourth WMO-accredited center globally, is dedicated to improving the accuracy of sand and dust storm forecasting and developing regional monitoring tools to support decision-makers and enhance environmental preparedness across the region.