At a Glance
The United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN‑GGIM) serves as the apex intergovernmental mechanism for making joint decisions and setting strategic direction on the production, availability, integration, and use of geospatial information within national, regional, and global policy frameworks. UN‑GGIM provides strategic leadership, coordination, and guidance on global geospatial information management. Through its normative work, policy frameworks, and collaborative initiatives, the Committee supports Member States in advancing and maximizing the value of geospatial information for sustainable development, leaving no one behind through a formal platform that promotes international geospatial cooperation and coordination.
The Role of UN-GGIM
UN-GGIM addresses global challenges related to the effective use of geospatial information, particularly in support of global sustainable development agendas and national development priorities through evidence-based and globally developed geospatial frameworks. Serving as the principal global forum for policy dialogue and decision-making in the field of geospatial information management, UN-GGIM ensures that geospatial data and technologies are integrated into broader development and governance frameworks.
Membership
The Committee of Experts comprises government‑appointed experts from all United Nations Member States, reflecting its intergovernmental nature. Experts from international organizations, regional bodies, academia, the United Nations system, and other relevant stakeholders also participate as observers.
Mandates
The key mandates and responsibilities of the Committee of Experts are described in the following documents:
- Enhancing global geospatial information management arrangements, E/RES/2022/24
- Report of the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, E/2022/68
- Strengthening institutional arrangements on geospatial information management, E/RES/2016/27
- Programme review of the work of the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, E/2016/47
- Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, E/RES/2011/24
- A global geodetic reference frame for sustainable development, A/RES/69/266
The priorities and work programmes of the Committee of Experts are driven by Member States. The Committee of Experts is mandated, among other tasks, to provide a platform for the development of effective strategies on how to build and strengthen national capacity on geospatial information, as well as disseminating best practices and experiences of national, regional, and international bodies on geospatial information related to legal instruments, management models, and technical standards. Key deliverables and benefits of UN-GGIM include:
- Leverage the leadership, commitment and resources in geospatial information of Member States, regional, thematic networks and others
- Strengthen the contribution and role of geospatial information towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and other global agendas
- Enhance the coordination, coherence, financing and capacities of global-to-local geospatial information management arrangements
- Improve geospatial governance and guidance, aligning national and global frameworks and good practices
- Guide the transparent, diverse, equitable and inclusive availability, access and use of geospatial information management for society
- Oversee the strategic orientation and guide the activities of the global geospatial centres of excellence
- Foster direction and readiness to utilize emerging technologies towards determining the future geospatial information ecosystem
- Provide strategic leadership towards the adoption and implementation of integrated geospatial information management and frameworks
- Lead the coordination and collaboration to enhance and strengthen the global geodetic reference frame and geodesy supply chain
- Promote the use of geospatial information data, methods, tools and services for climate, environment and resilience
- Integrate geospatial and statistical information through implementation and operationalization of related frameworks
- Advance the role of integrated geospatial information for effective land administration and management
- Guide and encourage the availability, accessibility and integration of marine geospatial information
- Address policy and legal issues in geospatial information management, including those related to emerging technological advancements
- Demonstrate the benefits of implementing and adopting geospatial standards for the global geospatial community
- Strengthen synergies and partnerships, particularly with other intergovernmental processes and international organizations related to science, technology, innovation, geographical names, statistics and data, to maximize the impact of geospatial information in all its forms
Strategic Plan 2025 - 2030:
The latest Strategic framework of the Committee of Experts was endorsed in decision 15/101 of 2025 at its fifteenth session, and is available as an Annex to its report on "Enhancing geospatial information management arrangements" (E/C.20/2025/4/Add.1).