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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: [email protected])
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 [email protected]. 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: [email protected]. 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: [email protected].
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 ([email protected]).
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, [email protected]) 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 ([email protected]).
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: [email protected].
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