INFORMATION

FOR DELEGATES

World Meteorological Organization

7 bis, avenue de la Paix – P.O. Box 2300

CH-1211 Geneva 2 – Switzerland

Tel.: +41 (0) 22 730 83 14 – Fax: +41 (0) 22 730 80 27

www.wmo.int

The Seventeenth

World Meteorological Congress

Geneva, 25 May–12 June 2015

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World Meteorological Organization Cg-17/INF. 1

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL CONGRESS Submitted by: Secretary-General

Date: 24.IV.2015

SEVENTEENTH SESSION Geneva, 25 May to 12 June 2015

Original Language: English

CONTENTS

Page

A. The World Meteorological Organization ........................................................ 4

1. Historical summary .............................................................................. 4

2. Structure of the Organization ............................................................... 4

B. The Seventeenth World Meteorological Congress, Cg-17 ........................... 6

1. Convening ........................................................................................... 6

2. Composition ........................................................................................ 6

3. Structure .............................................................................................. 7

4. Credentials of delegations ................................................................... 7

5. Admittance to meetings – entry badges ............................................... 8

6. List of participants ................................................................................ 8

7. Opening of the session ........................................................................ 8

8. Tentative workplan, time and place of meetings .................................. 8

9. Website ............................................................................................... 9

10. Documents .......................................................................................... 10

11. Documents, statements and proposed amendments submitted

by delegations ..................................................................................... 12

12. Interpretation ....................................................................................... 12

13. Records of meetings ............................................................................ 12

14. Report of the session ........................................................................... 12

15. Congress Journal ................................................................................ 13

16. Press and public information ................................................................ 13

17. Information material from delegates ..................................................... 13

18. Secretariat of the Congress ................................................................. 13

19. Delegates’ mail – lost property ............................................................. 14

20. Visas for travel to Switzerland .............................................................. 14

C. Facilities available at the International Conference Centre – Geneva ......... 15

1. The International Conference Centre – Geneva (CICG) ...................... 15

2. Computers and Internet access ........................................................... 15

3. Parking facilities ................................................................................... 15

4. Local transportation and taxis .............................................................. 15

5. Post and telecommunications .............................................................. 15

6. Office accommodation in the Conference Centre and WMO building ... 16

7. Bank .................................................................................................... 16

8. Cloakroom ........................................................................................... 16

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9. Quiet room ........................................................................................... 16

10. Restaurant, bar and cafeteria .............................................................. 16

11. Medical service .................................................................................... 16

12. WMO boutique ..................................................................................... 16

13. Duty-free fuel and shopping ................................................................. 17

14. Travel and entertainment ..................................................................... 17

15. Weather ............................................................................................... 17

16. Contact information: additional assistance ........................................... 17

Annex: Members of the World Meteorological Organization ................................ 18

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INFORMATION FOR DELEGATES

A. THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

1. Historical summary

International cooperation in the field of meteorology may be said to have begun in 1853, when an

international conference on maritime meteorology was held in Brussels. Further conferences

followed and in 1873 the first International Meteorological Congress was held in Vienna. This led to

the formal establishment of the International Meteorological Organization (IMO).

Under IMO, procedures for ensuring international cooperation and collaboration in meteorology

were successfully developed and put into operation and IMO continued to play a central role in

supporting international meteorological initiatives. On 23 March 1950, the World Meteorological

Organization (WMO) was formally established and in April 1951, the functions and responsibilities

of IMO were handed over to the newly created World Meteorological Organization; IMO then

ceased to exist. This change in title was accompanied by a change in status: WMO was

designated as an intergovernmental organization and a specialized agency of the United Nations

(December 1951), whereas IMO had been a non-governmental organization.

The first World Meteorological Congress was held in 1951 in Paris, immediately following the last

meeting of IMO. Subsequent sessions of Congress were held in Geneva every four years. In

accordance with the established timetable, the Seventeenth World Meteorological Congress is

taking place in Geneva from 25 May to 12 June 2015.

2. Structure of the Organization

The World Meteorological Congress is the general assembly of delegates representing all

Members (States and Territories) that meets normally once every four years. As the supreme body

of the World Meteorological Organization, it determines the Organization’s general policies,

regulations and procedures, strategy and budget, elects the President and Vice-Presidents of the

Organization and members of the Executive Council, and appoints the Secretary-General.

The Executive Council, as the executive body of the Organization, is entrusted with implementation

of the decisions taken by the Members of the Organization. It meets every year. It provides

Members of WMO with technical information, counsel and assistance in the fields of activity of the

Organization. It is composed of the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Organization, the

presidents of six regional associations and 27 Directors of National Meteorological or

Hydrometeorological Services. In the performance of their duties, the Executive Council members

act as representatives of the Organization and not as representatives of their respective countries.

The present composition of the Executive Council is as follows (as of 24 February 2015):

President: David GRIMES (Canada)

First Vice-President: Antonio Divino MOURA (Brazil)

Second Vice-President: Mieczslaw S. OSTOJSKI (Poland)

Third Vice-President: Abdalah MOKSSIT (Morocco)

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Ex-officio members of the Executive Council (presidents of regional associations)

Africa (Region I): Amos MAKARAU (Zimbabwe)

Asia (Region II): Ahmed ABDULLA MOHAMMED (Qatar)

South America (Region III): Julian BAEZ (Paraguay)

North America, Central America and the Caribbean (Region IV): Juan Carlos FALLAS SOJO (Costa Rica)

South-West Pacific (Region V): Andi Eka SAKYA (Indonesia)

Europe (Region VI): Ivan ČAČIĆ (Croatia)

Elected Members of the Executive Council (2 vacant seats):

Gerhard ADRIAN (Germany)

A.C. ANUFOROM (Nigeria)

Juan Manuel CABALLERO GONZÁLEZ (Mexico) (acting)

CHE GAYAH Ismail (Ms) (Malaysia) (acting)

Luigi DE LEONIBUS (Italy) (acting)

Alexander FROLOV (Russian Federation) (acting)

Laura K. FURGIONE (Ms) (United States of America) (acting)

John HIRST (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland)

Agnes L. KIJAZI (Ms) (United Republic of Tanzania) (acting)

KO Yunhwa (Republic of Korea) (acting)

Daouda KONATE (Côte d'Ivoire) (acting)

Jean-Marc LACAVE (France) (acting)

Miguel Angel LOPEZ GONZALEZ (Spain) (acting)

Camille LOUMOUAMOU (Republic of the Congo)

Linda MAKULENI (Ms) (South Africa)

Saad Mohamad S. MOHALFI (Saudi Arabia)

Ing. Carlos NARANJO JÁCOME (Ecuador)

Noritake NISHIDE (Japan) (acting)

Jacob NKOMOKI (Zambia)

Laxman Singh RATHORE (India) (acting)

Tyrone SUTHERLAND (British Caribbean Territories)

Petteri TAALAS (Finland)

Fetene TESHOME (Ethiopia) (acting)

Robert VERTESSY (Australia) (acting)

ZHENG Guoguang (China)

There are six regional associations (for Africa; Asia; South America; North America, Central

America and the Caribbean; South-West Pacific; and Europe) composed of Member States and

Territories. They examine, from a regional point of view, all questions referred to them by Congress

and the Executive Council and coordinate meteorological and hydrological activities within

Regions. On matters of regional interest, they submit recommendations to Congress and the

Executive Council.

The technical commissions, composed of experts designated by Members, are established by

Congress to review matters related to the scientific and technical activities of the Organization.

They develop technical recommendations, which are subsequently submitted to the Executive

Council and Congress for approval.

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There are at present eight technical commissions, classified in two groups:

I. Basic Commissions

Commission for Basic Systems (CBS), F. Branski – president

Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation (CIMO), B. Calpini – president

Commission for Hydrology (CHy), H. Lins – president

Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS), O. Hov – president

II. Applications Commissions

Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM), C.M. Shun – president

Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM), Lee B.-L. – president

Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology

(JCOMM), N. Pinardi (Ms), J. Stander – co-presidents

Commission for Climatology (CCl), T. Peterson – president

The Secretariat, located in Geneva, Switzerland, completes the structure of WMO. Its international

staff, under the direction of the Secretary-General, Mr Michel Jarraud, carries out the technical and

administrative work of the Organization.

B. THE SEVENTEENTH WORLD METEOROLOGICAL CONGRESS, Cg-17

1. Convening

The Seventeenth session of the World Meteorological Congress has been convened to meet in the

International Conference Centre – Geneva (CICG, 17, rue de Varembé, Geneva) from Monday,

25 May to Friday, 12 June 2015.

2. Composition

In accordance with Article 7 of the WMO Convention, the Congress, as the supreme body of the

Organization, is composed of delegates representing Members; each Member designates one of

its delegates, who should be the Director of its Meteorological or Hydrometeorological Service, as

its principal delegate. The other participants are as follows:

(a) Observers from non-Member States maintaining their own Meteorological or

Hydrometeorological Service, as invited by decision of the Members;

(b) Presidents of technical commissions of the Organization invited in accordance with

Article 19 of the Convention;

(c) Representatives of the United Nations and the UN system organizations, and other

intergovernmental organizations, invited by virtue of existing agreements, working

arrangements or other provisions for reciprocal representation;

(d) Representatives of non-governmental international organizations to which consultative

status with WMO has been granted by the Executive Council;

(e) Representatives of other non-governmental international organizations invited in

accordance with the provisions of General Regulation 19;

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(f) Individual experts invited in a personal capacity in accordance with Article 7 of the

Convention and General Regulation 19.

3. Structure

The President and the three Vice-Presidents of the Organization are the President and Vice-

Presidents of the World Meteorological Congress by virtue of Article 4 of the Convention.

The following committees may be established by Congress in accordance with the provisions of

General Regulations 23 and 25 to 32:

(a) A Credentials Committee, normally established immediately after the completion of the

opening formalities and for the duration of the session, to examine the credentials of

delegates and observers and report thereon;

(b) A Nomination Committee, to prepare and submit to the Congress a list of nominees for

each office or place for which an election is to be held;

(c) A Coordination Committee, to be responsible for coordinating the activities of the session.

This Committee consists of the President, the three Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-

General and the chairs of working committees;

(d) Drafting committees, or working committees, as Congress may deem necessary for certain

draft decisions for their subsequent submission to, and final approval by, the plenary

meetings.

With the exception of the Coordination Committee, whose chair is normally the President of WMO,

each Committee shall elect its own chair and, whenever necessary, other officers.

4. Credentials of delegations

General Regulation 21 provides that:

Prior to a session of a constituent body other than the Executive Council, each Member

should, if possible, communicate to the Secretary-General the names of the persons

composing its delegation to that body, indicating which of these shall be regarded as its

principal delegate.

Besides this communication, a letter giving these particulars and otherwise conforming

with the provisions of the Convention and of these Regulations and signed by, or on behalf

of, an appropriate governmental authority of the Member shall be sent to the Secretary-

General or handed to his representative at the session and shall be regarded as

appropriate credentials for the participation of the individuals named therein in all activities

of the constituent body.

The same procedure shall apply as regards the credentials of observers representing non-

Member countries.

The credentials of observers representing international organizations shall be signed by

the competent authority of the organization concerned.

All credentials that have not been sent to the Secretary-General should immediately, on arrival, be

deposited by delegations with the officer-in-charge of credentials at the Conference Registration

and Information Desk. All delegates and observers will have to be registered either in advance

online or upon arrival at this desk and will receive badges. The issuing of a badge does not

prejudice the decision of Congress as to the credentials of the person concerned.

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5. Admittance to meetings – entry badges

The Conference Registration and Information Desk will open starting from 2.30 to 5.30 pm on

24 May and from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. throughout the duration of Congress, to receive Congress

attendees and distribute badges. Only holders of badges issued by the Conference Registration

and Information Desk will be admitted to meetings. All badges are strictly personal and non-

transferable.

(a) Delegations

All participants will receive their badges upon arrival; they are expected to carry them at all

times and to present them at the request of Security or Conference Services staff.

Participants may obtain badges for members of their families. Applications should be

submitted in writing to the Conference Registration and Information Desk.

Members of Permanent Missions holding UN badges shall be admitted, but would need to

be listed in their corresponding WMO Member credentials and obtain a badge at the

Registration and Information Desk to appear on the list of participants.

(b) Press

Press and radio correspondents, photographers and camera operators should first contact

the Communications and Public Affairs Desk (in person or via e-mail at: cpa@wmo.int)

before proceeding to the Conference Registration and Information Desk, where the

badges will be issued for them.

(c) Public

The public may obtain badges for public meetings by applying to the Conference

Registration and Information Desk. They will be issued exclusively for admission to the

public gallery, according to the space available, and should be presented at any time at

the request of Security or Conference Services staff. Plenary sessions and information

side events will be public, subject to the availability of seats; attendance at meetings of

Congress committees will be restricted.

6. List of participants

A provisional list of delegates and observers (Cg-17/INF. 2) will be available on the Cg-17 website

and distributed upon request at the Conference Centre after the beginning of the session. This list

will be revised upon final registration of all participants.

Delegations are requested to notify the Conference Registration and Information Desk of any

changes in the composition of their delegation during the session.

7. Opening of the session

The formal opening of the Cg-17 will take place at 9:30 a.m. on 25 May 2015 at the International

Conference Centre – Geneva (17, rue de Varembé).

8. Tentative workplan, time and place of meetings

The tentative workplan for Cg-17 is provided on the website (http://cg-17.wmo.int).

A daily timetable of meetings is provided in the tentative workplan and published in the Congress

Journal. A limited number of paper copies will also be made available to delegates and observers

early each morning. The timetable will also be displayed on notice boards in the lobby.

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Please note: The tentative workplan is subject to changes throughout the day, as it provides only

an initial indication of the meetings and agenda items that will be taken up by Congress. The actual

workplan will be adjusted by the Coordination Committee, as necessary, during the session, and

will be provided online and in the daily order of business. All efforts will be made to minimize

deviations from the workplan.

Plenary sessions of Congress will be held in Salle I. As decided by the Executive Council,

delegations will sit in alphabetical order based on the names of the Members of the Organization

as spelt in French, starting from the front of the hall and beginning with Haiti. A plan showing the

places of delegations and observers will be posted at the entrance of Salle I. Seating

arrangements will be made in accordance with information received by the Secretariat prior to the

session. All delegations are required to be present at all plenary meetings, as decisions can be

taken at any time.

Smaller conference rooms will be available for meetings of the Congress Committees, the

Coordination Committee, drafting or working committees and information side events. The daily

schedule of these meetings and rooms will be announced in the tentative workplan on the website,

in the Congress Journal and on the electronic notice board in the entrance hall.

Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to

5.30 p.m. Saturday sessions normally occur from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Committee meetings and

side events will be held in the morning, from 8.30 to 9.30 a.m.; during lunchtime, from 12.30 to

2.30 p.m.; and in the evening, from 5.30 to 7.00 p.m.

The Conference Centre will be open from 8.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. daily.

9. Website

The Cg-17 website (http://cg-17.wmo.int) contains the key information needed for Congress. On

the website, delegates can find all Congress documents, as well as the complete calendar, the

latest version of the daily workplan, copies of statements and other presentations, information on

sessions, lists of participants, photos, the daily Congress Journal, and other important materials.

Please consult the website daily, as the workplan changes regularly to reflect in-session activity.

Figure 1 shows a picture of the website.

Figure 1. The Cg-17 website (cg-17.wmo.int)

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10. Documents

Documents will be posted before and during the session at the Cg-17 website

(http://cg-17.wmo.int), in line with WMO efforts to promote paperless meetings.

The Conference Centre is equipped with Wi-Fi, allowing delegates to electronically access

documents.

On the Cg-17 website, documents to be discussed and approved by Congress are accessed by

clicking on the “Documents” buttons in respective languages. Documents are organized into three

folders, as follows:

(a) Folder 1: Drafts for Discussion. This folder contains pre-session documents and

subsequent drafts that have not yet been approved by Plenary. Delegates will find here

documents that they will be asked to discuss and approve;

(b) Folder 2: Provisional Report. This folder contains the approved versions of documents,

showing the outcomes of Congress deliberations. The collection of these documents

constitutes the provisional report of Congress, which will be used until the final report is

issued by the Secretariat;

(c) Folder 3: Session Archive. This folder contains previous drafts that have been approved or

modified. Delegates will find here historical versions of drafts at all stages of

Congressional deliberations.

Please note that documents already discussed will remain in Folder 1 until they are replaced by

approved documents or subsequent drafts. Due to the multilingual production of documents, this

process may take one or more days.

Figure 2 below shows the three document folders on the website. Click on the “plus” sign next to

each folder to display its contents.

Figure 2. Document folders on the Cg-17 website

Documents are labelled according to their purpose and status as follows:

I. Pre-session:

(a) Initial draft. Initial draft documents for decision will bear the prefix Cg-17/Doc., item

number (document number) and status “Draft 1”;

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(b) Revised draft. If the content of a document was amended, even partially, the document

will be posted in a revised version. Its file name will be flagged as “REV. 1”, and it will

show the new or amended text in track changes;

(c) Corrected draft. If there were only corrections of misprints in the document, and its content

remains untouched, then the document will be posted in a corrected version. Its filename

will be flagged as “CORR. 1”, and it will show the corrected text in track changes;

(d) Information papers. Information papers will bear the prefix Cg-17/INF. These are found by

clicking the heading: “Information Documents”.

II. During sessions:

(a) Second and subsequent drafts. When Plenary decides to amend a draft document, the

amended draft documents for decision will show their status as “Draft 2” (Draft 3, etc.).

These documents will be approved by Plenary when no further amendments are required

(at which point their status changes to “APPROVED”);

(b) Approved documents. Documents approved by Plenary will show the Status

“APPROVED”.

The chart in Figure 3 below outlines the process by which Congress reviews and approves

documents. Documents can be approved by Plenary at any time. If changes are substantive,

Congress will request Draft 2 or 3 to be prepared and submitted to Plenary. In some cases

Congress may refer a document to a Working Committee for formulation.

Figure 3. Process of document review and approval for the Seventeenth Congress

In accordance with General Regulation 119 and the decisions of the Executive Council, Congress

documents containing decisions (categories (Ia), (Ib), (IIa) and (IIb) above) will be issued in Arabic,

Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Documents in category (Id) will be issued in all

languages as necessary and as resources permit.

Additional guidance on working with Congress documents is available on the Cg-17 website at the

bottom of the documents pages (see the “Help” section).

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11. Documents, statements and proposed amendments submitted by delegations

Documents: Documents and written inputs submitted by a delegation should be in one of the six

official and working languages of the Organization, and must be submitted in the name of the

Member(s) concerned (the State or territory), and not in the name of an individual. Documents will

be channelled through the Assistant Secretary-General.

Statements: Delegates who wish to read a statement should supply it in advance to the

Conference Registration and Information Desk so that copies can be made for the interpreters, and

an electronic version should be sent to cnf@wmo.int. Statements will only be posted on the Cg-17

website after they have been presented in Plenary.

Amendments: Delegates are requested to provide the Secretariat with the text of any proposed

amendments to draft texts under discussion, once these have been agreed to by the Plenary.

These texts should be e-mailed to: plenary@wmo.int. The subject line of the e-mail should indicate

the number of the document referred to and the name of the Member proposing the amendment.

The attention of delegations is drawn to General Regulation 140, which states that “except by

decision of Congress, a new item of business shall not be definitely settled unless it has been

included in an order of business and distributed with pertinent documentation at least 18 hours

before”.

12. Interpretation

In accordance with General Regulation 119, the official and working languages of the Organization

are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation of plenary

sessions into these languages will be provided. In addition, Portuguese interpretation will be

provided. Interpretation will also be provided to Congress committees and selected side events

within available resources.

13. Minutes of meetings

In accordance with General Regulation 112, the Secretariat shall prepare summarized minutes for

plenary sessions of Congress only when there is a specific request from Plenary. During the last

Congress, for example, minutes were prepared only for elections and a few selected plenary

discussions. Draft minutes shall be distributed as soon as possible to all participants who may

submit their proposed corrections in writing to the Secretariat. Corrections should be handed to the

Conference Registration and Information Desk. The revised minutes will subsequently be

submitted to plenary sessions for approval, or approved by correspondence.

If required, written minutes of plenary sessions will be prepared on the basis of the audio

recordings, which constitute the verbatim records.

For those plenary sessions covered by minutes, delegates are requested to provide the Secretariat

with the text of any statements by e-mail to: plenary@wmo.int.

No official minutes will be taken of meetings of the Congress committees.

14. Report of the session

The provisional edition of the abridged report of the Seventeenth World Meteorological Congress

will be made up of all texts included in the APPROVED documents, i.e. both general summary and

resolutions approved by Congress. It will also include the list of participants.

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15. Congress Journal

Each morning, the Secretariat will issue and distribute the Congress Journal to participants. The

Journal will be published in English and French on the Cg-17 website, with a limited number of

paper copies available at the Conference Registration and Information Desk. Each issue of the

Journal will normally contain:

(a) The time, place and programme of meetings on the day of publication, together with the

order of business for each meeting;

(b) A list of documents issued and approved since the distribution of the previous issue of the

Journal;

(c) Announcements of general interest made by officers of Congress, delegations and the

Secretariat.

The Congress Journal is to be issued for information purposes only, and will not have the status of

an official Congress document.

Material for inclusion in the Congress Journal on a particular day should be handed to the

Conference Registration and Information Desk before 4 p.m. on the previous day. Material that is

in a language other than English or French cannot be included in the Journal. All inquiries

concerning the Journal should be addressed to the Conference Registration and Information Desk.

16. Press and public information

Within the limits of available space and upon presentation of entry badges, accredited

representatives of the media will be admitted to all plenary sessions unless Congress decides

otherwise. Information side events will also be public, subject to the availability of seats. Committee

meetings are not public. Documents of the plenary sessions will be available for download at the

Cg-17 website.

Press releases containing summaries of the main decisions of Congress will be issued.

All inquiries concerning public information, including requests for interviews, should be referred to

the Communications and Public Affairs Desk (cpa@wmo.int).

17. Information material from delegates

There will be a booth provided for delegations wishing to show their videos, as well as a dedicated

area (table) for the placement of information/reports/booklets, etc. All such requests have to be

submitted for approval to the Conference Officer.

The total display area for paper materials is limited to one square meter (1m2) maximum per

delegation, in line with the WMO commitment to paper-smart meetings.

There will be no pigeon-hole distribution by the Secretariat. Any distribution request by delegations

will have to be approved by the Conference Officer.

18. Secretariat of the Congress

The main Secretariat offices and telephone numbers in the Conference Centre will be available

under “Information Documents” on the Cg-17 website.

The Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization (7bis, avenue de la Paix,

tel. +41 (0)22 730 81 11, wmo@wmo.int) will be open to visitors every weekday.

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19. Delegates’ mail – lost property

The Conference Registration and Information Desk will collect and deliver mail addressed to

participants. The same desk will also deal with lost property.

20. Visas for travel to Switzerland

Where and how to apply for a visa: Switzerland applies Schengen regulations for the issuance of

visas. This means that all participants requiring a visa to enter Switzerland should apply for their

visa directly to the Embassy or Consulate-General of Switzerland in their country. In cases where

no Swiss Embassy or Consulate is available, participants should apply to the country designated

by Switzerland to handle visa applications.

Under Schengen regulations, it is necessary for each visa applicant to make an appointment and

to present him/herself in person, in order to submit and register biometric data. On

11 October 2011, the Schengen member states introduced the Visa Information System (VIS),

which is used to store biometric data of Schengen visa applicants. Data remains valid in the VIS

system for a period of 5 years.

Additional information in several languages regarding the implementation of the VIS system,

registration of biometric data and the rollout timetable for Swiss embassies/consulates

implementing the VIS system is available through the following link:

www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen/einreise/einfuehrung_vis.html

When to apply: Time needed to obtain a visa may vary from case to case. It is strongly

recommended that delegates inform themselves on the relevant appointment system and

procedures as early as possible, to ensure that the visa may be issued in a timely manner.

Delegates can find this information on relevant national government websites, or they can consult

directly with the Swiss Embassy/Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence.

Special circumstances: In cases where no diplomatic relations exist between a Member and

Switzerland, or where a Member considers that some difficulties may be experienced in obtaining

visas, delegates can submit a visa request directly to Switzerland. However, under Annex I of the

General Regulations of the Organization, this request must be sent by the delegate to the

Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization who will in turn submit it to

Switzerland.

Such requests must contain all the necessary details: name, surname, date and place of birth,

father's name, nationality, passport number, date and place of issue, expiry date, profession, place

where the visa is to be issued, and duration of stay in Switzerland. Requests should be received by

the Secretary-General as far in advance of Congress as possible.

Additional information: Additional information regarding entry visas for Switzerland and Swiss

representation abroad may be found through the following links:

(i) www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen/einreise/merkblatt_einreise.html

(ii) www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps.html

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C. FACILITIES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

CENTRE – GENEVA

1. International Conference Centre – Geneva (CICG)

The Conference Centre is located near the Place des Nations. A plan showing the location of the

Conference Centre, the WMO headquarters building and other international organizations can be

found at http://www.cicg.ch/en/. Routes to the various conference rooms will be indicated by

signboards. Conference Services staff will be available to assist delegates.

Access: Entrance to the CICG building is at 17, rue de Varembé. The Conference Centre will be

open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

2. Computers and Internet access

Several computers with Internet connections and a printer will be at the disposal of participants in

the Conference Centre, at the Telecom Area. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own

computers. It is recommended that participants bring their own plug adapters to enable them to

plug into Swiss power sockets. A limited number of adapters will be available from the Conference

Registration and Information Desk.

The Conference Centre has a Wi-Fi system for wireless connection of computers to the Internet.

Instructions for connectivity will be available at the Conference Registration and Information Desk

and posted on information screens onsite. There are no hard-wired Internet connections in the

conference rooms.

Cell phones should be muted in the conference rooms.

3. Parking facilities

Parking at and around the main entrance of the Conference Centre is not allowed. In the streets

adjoining the Conference Centre, parking is available for limited periods only.

There is, however, a large underground car park (“Parking de la Place des Nations”), open day and

night, in the vicinity of the Conference Centre, near the International Telecommunication Union

(ITU) headquarters building. The entrance is located on Rue de Varembé, approximately

100 meters to the right of the main entrance to the Conference Centre.

4. Local transportation and taxis

Bus numbers 5 and 8 and tram number 15 stop at the nearby Place des Nations and run to and

from the centre of the city and the railway station (Place Cornavin), where they connect with all the

Geneva tram and bus routes. In addition, bus numbers 11 and 22 pass close to the Conference

Centre, connecting the Jardin Botanique/Place des Nations with Bout du Monde and Carouge,

respectively. Public transportation schedules can be found online at: www.tpg.ch

Taxis can be obtained through the Conference Registration and Information Desk.

5. Post and telecommunications

There is a Post Office to the left of the rue de Varembé entrance to the Conference Centre.

Telephone booths are located at various points in the building. Phone cards or credit cards may be

used.

16

Mail for delegates may be sent to the following address:

World Meteorological Congress

Centre international de conférences de Genève

17, rue de Varembé

CH-1211 GENEVA 20

Switzerland

Mail can also be sent through the WMO Secretariat at its usual address.

The telephone number of the Conference Centre is +41 (0)22 791 91 11.

The fax number of the Conference Centre is +41 (0)22 791 90 64. Fax messages may also be sent

to the WMO Secretariat (+41 (0)22 730 81 81).

6. Office accommodation in the Conference Centre and WMO building

A limited number of offices will be made available in the Conference Centre and the WMO building

for rental during Cg-17. Delegations wishing to rent office facilities should address their requests to

Conference Services (cnf@wmo.int).

7. Bank

A branch office of the Union de Banques Suisses (UBS) is located on Chemin Louis-Dunant across

from the Conference Centre.

8. Cloakroom

An unattended cloakroom is available to delegates in the entrance hall of the Conference Centre.

9. Quiet room

A quiet room for meditation, prayer and reflection will be available to delegates in the basement

(floor -1).

10. Restaurant, bar and cafeteria

A restaurant, bar and cafeteria are available in the Conference Centre, with others available on

adjacent streets.

11. Medical service

There will be a first-aid station located at the Conference Centre.

Outside working hours, delegates seeking immediate medical attention can go to the “Centre

Médico-Chirurgical Vermont-Grand-Pré” located near the Conference Centre at 9A, rue de

Vermont, which is open 24 hours, 7 days a week (Tel.: +41 (0)22 734 5150). The medical

emergency number in Switzerland is 144.

12. WMO boutique

The WMO boutique will have a display at the Conference Centre, offering souvenirs of the

Seventeenth Congress and WMO for sale.

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13. Duty-free fuel and shopping

In order to obtain duty-free shop passes and cards for supply of duty-free petrol, delegates should

apply to the Conference Registration and Information Desk. Cards granting the right to buy duty-

free fuel must be returned upon expiration.

14. Travel and entertainment

Delegates may make any travel arrangements through the accredited travel agency located at

WMO headquarters; Carlson Wagonlit Travel at WMO, tel.: +41 58 515 00 78, e-mail: wmo.ch@contactcwt.com.

Information relating to customs formalities and visas, as well as to local travel, weekend resorts,

sports, theatres, performances and other activities can also be obtained from the travel agency.

15. Weather

MeteoSuisse provides regular weather updates through its mobile phone applications and through

its website at the following addresses:

App: www.meteosuisse.admin.ch/home/service-et-publications/conseil-et-service/l-app-

de-meteosuisse.html

Website: www.meteosuisse.admin.ch/home/meteo/previsions.html

16. Contact information: additional assistance

For additional questions during Congress, please contact the Conference Registration and

Information Desk, found on the ground floor of the Conference Centre.

The telephone number of the Conference Centre is +41 (0)22 791 91 11.

The Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization is open 8.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., Monday

to Friday. The Conference Registration and Information Desk will have the list of phone numbers of

the Secretariat staff.

The number for emergency police assistance in Switzerland is 117.

____________

18

ANNEX

MEMBERS OF THE

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

(as of 26 February 2015)

STATES (185)

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic

Democratic People's Republic of Korea Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan

Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands (the) New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norway Oman Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay

19

Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Lucia Samoa Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan

Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Thailand The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Viet Nam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe TERRITORIES (6)

British Caribbean Territories Curaçao and Sint Maarten French Polynesia Hong Kong, China Macao, China New Caledonia

A list of permanent missions in Geneva can be found on the website www.unog.ch