First international workshop on operationalizing the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework

Jointly organized by the United Nations Secretariat for Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) and the Statistics Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), supported by the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for the Americas (UN-GGIM: Americas).

The Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) provides a basis, a reference and a mechanism for countries when establishing or strengthening their national geospatial information management arrangements and related infrastructures, or to coordinate activities to achieve alignment between and across existing national capabilities and infrastructures. The Framework aims to translate high-level concepts to practical implementation guidance and does this by leveraging seven (7) underpinning principles, eight (8) goals and nine (9) strategic pathways as a means for governments to establish, improve and sustain more effective geospatial information management arrangements. The Implementation Guide provides the specific guidancStatistics Division of e and recommends actions to be taken by Member States to establish, improve or strengthen their national arrangements in geospatial information management, systems and infrastructures.

The 2030 Agenda recognizes that timely, available and accessible geospatial information, and integrated with statistics and other information, with combined analyses, are prerequisite for good policy-making and supporting and tracking development progress. However, there is still a lack of awareness, understanding and uptake of the vital and integrative role of geospatial information, particularly in developing countries.

This international workshop seeks to contribute to the strengthening of nationally integrated geospatial information management towards the producing, disseminating and applying of geospatial information for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will address the availability and accessibility of geospatial information, inter-alia, the data demands nationally and sub-nationally in support of national development and strategic priorities as well as for national implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is noted that this will require coordinated efforts at all levels including the integration of geospatial information, statistical data, and other information for measuring and monitoring progress, recognizing that all events, activities and decisions have a temporal and geographical context. The IGIF anchored by its nine strategic pathways, together with the Implementation Guide, provides Member States a mechanism for articulating and demonstrating national leadership in integrated geospatial information management, and the capacity to take positive steps.

Objectives

• Raise awareness and improve knowledge and understanding on the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework - the Overarching Strategic Framework (IGIF Part I) and the Implementation Guide (IGIF Part II).
• Engage and consider the implementation guidance and recommended actions vis-à-vis national circumstances to establish or strengthen national arrangements in geospatial information management, infrastructures and capacities.
• Consider and work through a conceptual approach to operationalize the IGIF towards nationally integrated geospatial information management.

Participants

Participants are expected to be director generals, directors or senior level officials from Ministries, Agencies or Departments responsible for geospatial information management, survey and mapping for both terrestrial and marine environment. Participants are senior officials who need to address and improve the availability, accessibility and application of geospatial information nationally, and to realize vital and integrative role of geospatial information.