Finland Times

 

Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute Petteri Taalas has been appointed Secretary General of World Meteorological Organization.

 

The WMO Secretary General election took place at the World Meteorological Congress on 4 June 2015, said an official release.  

 

A total of 154 votes were cast during the election of which Petteri Taalas received 117, that is the requisite two-third majority. The Secretary General election included candidates from South Africa, India, Russia and Finland.

 

The Secretary General heads the WMO's Secretariat, which is located in Geneva.

 

"Petteri Taalas's appointment as the Secretary-General of a UN organisation is a significant achievement for Finland. This demonstrates that Finnish top expertise is in high regard internationally and illustrates the extensive, high standard work carried out by the Finnish Meteorological Institute both internationally and nationally," Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner commented on the appointment.

 

"The appointment of a Finnish Secretary General will increase Finland's visibility and stature in the UN.  It will open up new opportunities to influence the WMO's activities. The appointment will also benefit Finnish enterprises with activities linked to the climate, seas and weather, research and development activities and authorities," stated Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.

 

"I am very pleased with my appointment. I feel this is a show of recognition for the active international cooperation in which we have extensively participated in the field of meteorology," Petteri Taalas said.

 

"My objective as Secretary General will be to develop the WMO's activities so that they meet with the needs of Member States and Territories even better than previously and to support the work carried out by national meteorological institutes,” he said.

 

"I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to experts from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Finnish Meteorological Institute for the support I have received during my campaign," Petteri Taalas expressed.

 

Established in 1950, the World Meteorological Organization is the UN's weather, sea and climate expert. The WMO has a membership of 191 Member States and Territories. Finland has been a member from the time the organisation was established.

 

Petteri Taalas has acted as Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute from 2002 with the exception of 2005-2007, when he worked as the Director of the WMO Development and Regional Activities Department in Geneva.

 

He is also Finland's permanent representative in the WMO and has been a member of the Executive Council during 2008-2015.