I learnt with deep sorrow of the death on June 10, 1995, of Mr. Joseph Hiri Kinuthia, Assistant Director for Research at the Kenya Meteorological Department, and one of the consultants who served at the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) at its inception in 1992. Born in Kenya in 1944, he got his degrees at the University of Nairobi. He was a member of WMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology, Principal Delegate in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and a member of the START Planning Committee for Africa (NAFCOM).

I knew Mr. Kinuthia for many years, first during my days as a Director of the Algerian Meteorological Services. I later came to know him better on his many extended visits and assignments at ACMAD, where he assisted me in ensuring that the Centre got specific activities going and in communications with the Permanent Representatives with WMO in Africa, international organisations and donor community. He was the kingpin of the UNEP-supported project on " Climate Impacts in Africa ", and indeed spent the best part of his last months in assembling the report in collaboration with Alex Alusa of UNEP. The report, due to be published by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will remain a living memory of Mr. Kinuthia's commitment to Meteorology and its advancement in Africa.

M.S. Boulahya, Director-General, ACMAD.