GENEVA, JUNE 14 – Italian General Silvio Cau, Head of the Meteorological Service of the Italian Air Force, was elected member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Executive Council at the 18th World Meteorological Congress in Geneva.
Born in Pisa in 1959, General Cau had a long career with the Italian Air Force. In 1985 he was appointed Lieutenant in the Italian Air Force, Aeronautical Engineering Corps. He then served in the Regional Meteorological Centre of Milan Linate, the 5th Allied Tactical Air Force in Vicenza, the Inspectorate for Telecommunications and Flight Assistance in the Plans and Programs Bureau, and in 1999 served at Operational Activities Bureau. From 2001 to 2007 he held various important positions in the Italian Joint Operational Headquarters, including Representative of the HQ in the Space Defence Programs Committee. In 2004 he earned the degrees of “Master in International Studies and Military Strategy” and Master in “Defence against Chemical and Biological Weapons”. From 2007 through 2015 he held senior management positions in telecommunication satellite systems and satellite remote sensing.
The World Meteorological Congress is the supreme body of WMO. The Executive Council implements its decisions, while six Regional Associations are responsible for the coordination of meteorological, hydrological and related activities within their respective Regions. The structure of WMO is transitioning from eight to two Technical Commissions, following approval of a Constituent Bodies Governance Reform by the Eighteenth World Meteorological Congress in June 2019.
The Executive Council normally hold a session at least once a year, at a place and on a date to be determined by the President of the Organization after consultation with other members of the Council. Decisions are passed by a two-thirds majority vote. It is comprised a president, three vice-presidents, the six regional association presidents and 27 directors of National Meteorological or Hydrometeorological Services elected by Congress. Each member has only one vote. (@OnuItalia)
