RIMES Overview
Organization
RIMES is an intergovernmental institution governed by its Member States and supported by collaborating countries. It bridges science and society through data-driven early warning systems, fostering regional cooperation to strengthen resilience against climate and geophysical hazards.
Vision
“Forewarned and resilient societies by linking science, institutions, and communities.”
Mission
To empower countries and communities to access and act on science-based early warning and climate information through regional collaboration, technical support, and capacity building.
Objectives
Strengthen national institutions’ capacities for multi-hazard early warning
Promote regional collaboration in data sharing and modeling
Facilitate access to user-tailored tools and forecasts
Support integration of science into decision-making at all levels
Core Values
Equity & Inclusiveness
Prioritizing low-resource countries and vulnerable populations
Regional Solidarity
Leveraging shared expertise across borders
Empowerment Through Capacity Building
Science and Innovation
Promoting technology, data relevance, and modernization
Transparency & Accountability
Sustainability & Country Ownership
Strategic Role
RIMES serves as a boundary organization connecting scientific agencies (e.g., NMHSs,oceanographic, and seismic institutions) with decision-makers across sectors (e.g.,disaster management, agriculture, water).
Its strategic functions include
Translating forecasts into localized, actionable information
Providing access to advanced analytics and decision-support tools
Offering cost-effective regional services through economies of scale
Delivering tailored support to Member States
Ensuring countinuity and reliablility through sustained backup systems
Governance
Ministerial Conference
A high-level forum of ministers and senior officials from Member States, convened periodically to provide political direction and endorse strategic agendas. Also supports policy and resource mobilization for the RIMES Council.
Council
The supreme decision-making body, composed of heads of NMHSs or equivalent technical agencies from Member States and Collaborating Countries. Meets annually to set policy and strategic direction. Chaired by the Government of India.
Secretariat
Implements Council decisions, coordinates intergovernmental communication, and maintains institutional continuity. Currently hosted by the Government of Maldives.
Program Directorate
Manages day-to-day operations and technical program implementation. Led by the Director General and responsible for administration, finance, and program oversight.
RIMES Organization Structure
Organization Structure
RIMES Ministerial Conference:
Provides political leadership and high-level endorsement of the regional early warning agenda.
RIMES Council
Member State
22 countries have formally signed the RIMES Cooperation Agreement, granting full membership and voting rights.
Country
Comoros
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
30 April 2009
Country
Maldives
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
30 April 2009
Country
Seychelles
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
30 April 2009
Country
Cambodia
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
26 May 2009
Country
Lao PDR
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
11 June 2009
Country
Philippines
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
18 May 2010
Country
Timor Leste
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
18 May 2010
Country
Mongolia
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
23 December 2010
Country
India
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
24 February 2011
Country
Papua New Guinea
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
13 March 2011
Country
Sri Lanka
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
28 September 2011
Country
Bangladesh
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
06 March 2012
Country
Myanmar
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
15 July 2015
Country
Madagascar
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
07 October 2015
Country
Yemen
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
08 August 2017
Country
Afghanistan
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
24 August 2017
Country
Mozambique
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
24 August 2017
Country
Tonga
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
24 August 2017
Country
Djibouti
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
25 August 2017
Country
Kenya
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
19 February 2018
Country
Nepal
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
10 June 2019
Country
Somalia
Date of signing RIMES Agreement
October 2019
Collaborating Countries
38 additional countries participate in RIMES programs, contributing technical expertise and benefiting from regional services.
Country
Armenia
Country
Bhutan
Country
Chad
Country
China
Country
Cook Island
Country
Eritrea
Country
FS Micronesia
Country
Fiji
Country
Indonesia
Country
Kazakhstan
Country
Kyrgyz Republic
Country
Malawi
Country
Marshall Islands
Country
Mauritius
Country
Pakistan
Country
Russian Federation
Country
Samoa
Country
Solomon Islands
Country
Sudan
Country
Tajikistan
Country
Tanzania
Country
Thailand
Country
Tuvalu
Country
Uzbekistan
Country
Vanuatu
Country
Vietnam
Country
Zambia
Secretariat
Responsible for logistics, intergovernmental coordination, and institutional operations.
Program Directorate:
Science and Technology Directorate (STD)
Leads development of scientific research and technological solutions in earthquake, tsunami, ocean, weather, climate, and hydrology. Focuses on systems innovation to keep RIMES at the forefront of early warning and risk analytics.
Program Management Directorate (PMD)
Translates science into usable formats through decision-support systems (DSS), stakeholder co-design, and the use of advanced data analytics including AI and ML. Ensures services meet end-user needs and are integrated into national operations.
Operational Support Directorate (OSD)
Oversees internal operations and ensures seamless delivery of services across the organization. Manages HR, administration, and institutional services under delegated authority.
All three Directorates are led by Directors reporting to the Executive Director. Department Heads report to their respective Directors. Country program leads report to the Executive Director on strategy, and to Directors for project execution.
RIMES
Master Plan
RIMES operates under a multi-year rolling Master Plan, reviewed annually. The current (3rd) plan covers 2021–2025. The 4th plan (2026–2030) is under development.
RIMES Master Plan
RIMES Master Plan
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Strategic Goals:
Foster region-wide cooperation on multi-hazard early warning
Integrate climate risk into national development planning
Expand access to impact-based forecasting systems
Key initiatives and timelines.
DSS expansion in 20+ countries (2026–2028)
Integration of AI into forecasting systems (by 2027)
Localized risk communication frameworks in 15 districts (by 2029)
Monitoring and Implementation
Progress is reviewed annually. Implementation status and milestones are reported to the Council and made available to stakeholders.
Management Team
Monitoring and Implementation
Oversees execution of strategic priorities, coordinates across directorates, and ensures institutional alignment with Council decisions.
Key Personnel Profiles:
Includes Directors of the three main directorates and specialized experts in meteorology, seismology, data science, risk communication, finance, and public policy.
Decision Influence:
The management team contribute to:
Translating Council direction into operational plans
Advising on funding alignment and resource prioritization
Monitoring region-wide program performance