(MENAFN- Mid-East.Info) The meeting took place from February 14-16, in Abu Dhabi
Welcomed participation of 45 experts from 14 Arab countries as well as the Statistical Center of the GCC states
Confirmed recommendations and outputs for the future
Abu Dhabi, UAE: The 10th meeting of the Arab Committee of United Nations Experts on Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), hosted by the UAE and represented by the Federal Geographic Information Center (FGIC), was concluded in Abu Dhabi. The high-level event welcomed the participation of 45 specialists from 14 Arab countries.
On the first day, the meeting discussed the annual report of the Arab Committee of the UN-GGIM and the contributions made by the United Nations and other international organizations toward geospatial information, in addition to highlighting the results of the regional workshop entitled“Strengthening Geospatial Information Management,” which was held prior to the meeting.
The second day focused on the empowerment of Arab women in the field of geospatial information, and the outcomes of the technical teams of the Arab Committee, represented by the Working Group on Institutional Frameworks and Legal Regulations, Policies, Awareness, and Capacity Building, and the Working Group on the Geodetic Reference Frame, as well as the Expert Group on the Integration of Geospatial and Statistical Information.
The meeting recommendations confirmed the importance of innovation and integrating the latest technologies in the field of geospatial information. Participants highlighted the need to enhance awareness of the integration of geospatial and statistical information to support building national capabilities, enabling Arab countries to address potential challenges and achieve sustainable development goals, in addition to highlighting the importance of the compatibility of national geodetic references with the Global Geodetic Reference Frame, and the need to commit for sharing and exchanging data between Arab countries, along with plans for innovative projects that aim to upgrade the spatial data sector in its various fields.
The meeting approved the work plan submitted by Morocco, which focuses on continuing the study of six remaining strategic projects after specifying an audited program for the dates of their implementation and reviewing the translation of the executive guide in its second version in line with the amendments from experts. Along with facilitating the exchange of experiences between Arab countries on tracking the activities of UN committees that have not limited the management of regional geospatial information and the work of the task forces of the UN Commission of Experts. The work plan submitted by Tunisia was also approved. This plan aims to complete the development of the fourth version of the Arab educational geospatial platform, prepare files, and complete the development of security and protection measures for its system, network and use. In addition to completing the development of a front-end portal to provide all spatial data for different countries, as well as periodically updating the platform.
Algeria's workplan was also approved, which seeks to activate the recommendations for the completion of the Unified Global Geodetic Reference, exchanging experiences and knowledge in the field, as well as working to ensure that Arab countries play an effective role in the process of establishing the Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence. On top of raising awareness of the importance of geodesy for scientific and societal applications and identifying the components of the national geodetic structure. The work plan submitted by Egypt was also approved, which focuses on enhancing awareness of the Global Statistical Geospatial Framework (GSGF) for Arab countries as well as exchanging expertise and experiences among Arab countries regarding censuses using the latest technologies. In addition to working to enhance the participation of Arab countries in the UN-GGIM.
Moreover, the work plan submitted by the representative of the Arab Committee in the Private Sector Network of the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (PSN UN-GGIM) was approved. This aims to activate the participation of the Arab Committee in the network and strengthen cooperation to support the initiatives of the Arab Committee. In addition to organizing workshops in coordination with the Committee's secretariat and developing an action plan to activate the role of the academic sector in coordination with the representatives of the Arab Committee in the Academic Sector Group in the UN-GGIM between 2023 and 2028. In addition to adopting the UN-IGIF and sustainable development goals in the Arab Private Sector Group.
Hamed Khamis Al Kaabi, Director General of the Federal Geographic Information Center (FGIC), said:“We are proud to successfully conclude the 10th Meeting of the Arab Committee of UN Experts on Geospatial Information Management, which served as an exceptional platform to highlight the experiences of the UAE and participating Arab countries, while also facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences to promote the development of a sustainable environment and an integrated infrastructure for spatial and geographical data. All of this is intended to boost the growth of various sectors by assisting their operations and improving their services in accordance with national efforts to achieve sustainable development.
“The FGIC confirms its commitment to implementing the recommendations of the meeting. This will be achieved by strengthening cooperation with all strategic partners and stakeholders in the public and private sectors at a local, regional, and international levels. This comes in line with the outcomes of the meeting to find innovative solutions and achieve the maximum economic, social, and environmental benefits for member states of the Committee and all communities of countries around the world,”
Several bodies attended the meeting, including the Statistical Center for the GGC Cooperation Council, representatives from the UN-GGIM Secretariat, and international experts who presented the contributions of the United Nations and international institutions on the best Arab and international experiences in the field of geospatial works.
The host country of the 11th meeting of the Arab Committee will be announced during the upcoming UN-GGIM meeting, which is expected to be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from August 2-4, 2023.
The Arab Committee was established in accordance with the resolution issued by the 4th session of the United National Global Forum on the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information (UN-GGIM) held in New York in 2014. The Committee is responsible for identifying regional topics related to geospatial information management in order to find solutions and achieve the maximum economic, social, and environmental benefit.