Many countries are following up on the global commitment to sustain the adoption of the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (UN-IGIF), aligned with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 2022/24. At its fifteenth session, in making decision 15/102 the Committee of Experts requested regional committees to actively contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of the Committee of Experts, in particular as related to its operations focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework. Established in 2014, the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Americas (UN-GGIM Americas) supports the development of geospatial information management capabilities over the continent. The UN-GGIM Americas plays a key role in advancing the overall understanding and progress of the use and implementation of the UN-IGIF in the Americas.

Since 2020, through the assistance provided by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin Americas and the Caribbeans, the SDG Data Alliance, and more recently the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC), countries are progressing on their journey towards the implementation of the UN-IGIF. To keep the momentum, Member States in the Americas have expressed the need for further assistance to raise awareness on the UN-IGIF across the continent and to support capacity development activities towards the development of national geospatial strategies and country-level action plans. In 2025, the Committee of Experts, decision 15/115, urged the Centre and the Secretariat to focus on assisting Member States with practical, results-driven support for national implementation of the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework.

In this context, the UN-GGIM Americas, the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin Americas and the Caribbeans (UNECLAC) and the Secretariat of UN-GGIM are organizing a workshop to further advance on the implementation of the UN-IGIF in the region and on the use of geospatial information management to deliver national economic, social and environmental benefits.

The workshop aims to raise awareness, develop capacity, share knowledge and good practices on the implementation of the UN-IGIF in the Americas, and further assist the ongoing development of Country-level Action Plans in the region, contributing to the global call from ECOSOC and of the Committee of Experts for enhancing national geospatial information management capabilities for Member States. The workshop will be held at the ECLAC Headquarters in Santiago, Chile, on 3-4 November, ahead of the Twelfth session of the UN-GGIM Americas also held in ECLAC on 5-7 November 2025. The workshop and the meeting are organized back-to-back to ensure broad engagement and to foster regional dialogue on the work programme of the Committee of Experts and the implementation of the UN-IGIF and its benefits for national priorities and global agendas. During the same week, a workshop on geodesy entitled ‘Transitioning to a Modern Geospatial Reference System’ is also organized by UN-GGCE at ECLAC Headquarters that will facilitate further synergies with the wider geospatial community.