Mogadishu, Somalia – The Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has officially launched a state-of-the-art Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite reception system, marking a significant leap in the country’s meteorological and aviation safety capabilities.
The new system, housed within a fully equipped meteorological workstation, replaces a decade-old platform that had long struggled to meet the demands of modern aviation and weather forecasting.
In a statement released on Friday, the SCAA highlighted that the upgrade will significantly enhance real-time weather monitoring, flight planning, and forecasting accuracy for both domestic and international flights.
“This advanced satellite system strengthens Somalia’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards,” said Ahmed Moallim Hassan, Director-General of the SCAA. “It ensures that pilots, air traffic controllers, and meteorologists receive timely, reliable meteorological data essential for safe air navigation.”
The MTG system, developed by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), provides high-resolution imagery, lightning detection, and improved data continuity—critical in the Horn of Africa, where volatile weather patterns increasingly disrupt air travel and humanitarian operations.
Officials say the integration of the MTG system is part of a broader aviation infrastructure modernization plan supported by international partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Meteorologists at the new station have already begun receiving enhanced satellite imagery and data feeds, enabling early warnings for severe weather events such as thunderstorms, dust storms, and tropical cyclones—conditions common in Somalia’s airspace.
The SCAA reaffirmed its commitment to modernizing civil aviation services in Somalia, following years of capacity-building and post-conflict reconstruction. The agency also called on regional stakeholders to collaborate on sharing weather data for greater safety and efficiency in the Horn of Africa’s airspace.
The new MTG system is expected to be fully operational across Somalia’s key airports by the end of the year.