The International Workshop on Global Fundamental Geospatial Data Themes for Africa was convened at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 25-27 April 2018. The International Workshop was jointly organized by the United Nations Statistics Division of DESA, as the Secretariat for UN-GGIM, in collaboration with UNECA, and supported by the Working Group on Global Fundamental Geospatial Data Themes and the Regional Committee of Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa (UN-GGIM: Africa).

At its seventh session in August 2017, the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) adopted a minimum and agreed list of 14 Global Fundamental Geospatial Data Themes as a tangible means to enable the measurement, monitoring, and management of sustainable development in a consistent way over time, facilitate evidence-based decision-making, and support policy-making.

This three-day International Workshop raised awareness, provided guidance and exchanged knowledge on how Member States from Africa can and are improving the capacity of their National Geospatial Information or Mapping Agencies in producing geospatial information that are referenced to internationally agreed fundamental geospatial data themes. This serves to enhance data interoperability, and thus increase the availability, accessibility and application of geospatial information in Africa, particularly for implementing and reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The workshop held a Statistical and Geospatial Integration Day on the 25th of April, in collaboration with ECA following their "Sub-regional workshop on integration of administrative data, big data and geospatial information for the compilation of SDG indicators". Through this, both Statistical and Geospatial communities were brought together to facilitate discussion and learning across their communities, examining how the integration of statistical and geospatial information is crucial towards sustainable development at local, national, and regional levels, supporting the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Africa 2063 agendas.

Contact details:

Logistical Arrangements:

Ms. Vilma Frani
Global Geospatial Information Management
United Nations Statistics Division
Department of Economics and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (917) 367-2903
Email: frani@un.org

Substantive Arrangements:

Mr. Greg Scott
Global Geospatial Information Management
United Nations Statistics Division
Department of Economics and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (212) 963-8578
Email: scott12@un.org -->