Workshop UN-IGIF: Implementing geospatial strategies, advancing development, innovation and resilience
Work area(s)
Topic(s)
Teaser
This workshop will provide an opportunity to share knowledge, latest trends and technologies and best practices in enhancing geospatial information arrangements in Americas, raise awareness of the benefits from using geospatial information for sustainable development, and consider policies, measures and actions that could be adopted towards the effective implementation of UN-IGIF in the region.
Event information
Date
3 - 04 Nov 2025, 09:00 - 17:00Event type
Participation
This event is organized jointly by the UN-GGIM Americas, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin Americas and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC), the SDG Data Alliance and the Secretariat of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in the Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The objective of the workshop is to raise awareness on the UN-IGIF and share knowledge on progress and good practices on the ongoing development of Country-level Action Plans in the Americas, contributing to the global call for enhancing national geospatial information management capabilities for Member States. The workshop is organized and hosted ahead of the annual Regional committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Americas (UN-GGIM Americas), to be held through and in ECLAC on 5-7 November 2025, to ensure broad engagement and awareness on the UN-IGIF and its benefits for national priorities and international agendas, and to support attendance of countries to the annual regional plenary in the Americas.
At this critical juncture, less than five years away from the target of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, many countries in the Americas still lack adequate capacities, capabilities and skills to advance the use of geospatial information management to address national priorities and global agendas. While some have embarked on the implementation of IGIF, challenges remain to finalize Country-level Action Plan (CAP) to enhance national geospatial information management.
Participation
In close alignment with the decisions and recommendations of the Committee of Experts and its HLG-IGIF, the workshop will bring together various implementation partners for the operationalization of the UN-IGIF for Member States from the region including the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre, the SDG Data Alliance, the regional committee leadership from the Americas, in close coordination with the Secretariat of UN-GGIM.
Meeting participants will include Members of the UNGGIM Americas Regional Committee, National officials responsible for UN-IGIF implementation including mapping, cartography, surveying, land registration, earth observation, data agencies, and selected subject-matter experts on the UN-IGIF from the academic community, research institutions, government, civil society, and the private sector.
Practical information
Workshop UN-IGIF: Implementing geospatial strategies, advancing development, innovation and resilience
Santiago. ECLAC headquarters
| Place: | ECLAC Headquarters (Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile) Conference Room Celso Furtado |
| Date: | 3-4 November 2025 |
| Time: | 09:00 - 17:00 hrs. (Hora de Chile, UTC -3) |
| Language: | The meeting will be conducted in English and Spanish, supported by simultaneous interpretation. |
| Note: | This event is an in-person closed event and participation by invitation only. Participants are expected to be designated geospatial information management representatives, leads and subject matter experts in Americas. |
Related content
Twelfth Session of UN-GGIM: Americas
The twelfth Session of UN-GGIM: Americas will be held from 5 to 7 November 2025 in Santiago, at the headquarters of ECLAC.
Schedule
3 nov 2025
Advancing national priorities through geospatial information management
Welcome and introduction
09:30 - 10:00
- Rolando Ocampo, Director Statistics Division of ECLAC
- Li Pengde, Director United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (video)
- Sofía Nilo, President UN-GGIM: Américas
- Participants introduction and setting the scene for the workshop
Session I-2: UN-GGIM: programme of work and the implementation of the UN-IGIF
10:30 - 12:00
Guillaume Le Sourd, UN-GGIM Secretariat
Overview of programme of work of the Committee of Experts and enhancing global geospatial information management
Deirdre Bishop, US Census Bureau, Co-Chair HLG-IGIF
Overview on the work program of the High-Level Group on the UN-IGIF
Jean Maurice Muneza, UNGGKIC
Current priorities activities toward the UN-IGIF implementation
Alvaro Monett, Regional Geospatial Advisor, ECLAC
ECLAC and regional support for IGIF implementation in the Americas
» Open discussion
Session I-3: Country implementation: successes and challenges of implementing the UN-IGIF
13:30 - 15:00
Marisol Carrasco, UN-GGIM Americas, Working Group on the UN-IGIF
Current progress and status on the implementation of the UN-IGIF in the Americas: insights from the survey and way forward
National experiences from the subregions (TBC: Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Canada, Argentina, Panama)
Successes and challenges in the use of the UN-IGIF to strengthen geospatial information management to advance national priorities and global agendas
» Open discussion
Session I-4: Enhancing geospatial information management arrangements
15:30 - 17:00
Panel Discussion: Progress, gaps, and priorities of Member States in implementing UN-IGIF
Moderated by Marcelo Emery, WG Capacity Development HLG-IGIF
Common challenges and opportunities to advance the implementation of the UN-IGIF in the Americas
- Dominican Republic
- Chile
Identification of basic requirements and conditions to begin national implementation
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
Articulating global and regional efforts to support the implementation of the UN-IGIF in the Americas
- Mexico
- Brazil
Eng. Mohammad Almabrook, GEOSA, Saudi Arabia (video)
HLG-IGIF Sustainable Funding Guide: How to get financial support for geospatial information management
4 nov 2025
Leadership in advancing geospatial information management
Session II-1: Developing a Country-level Action Plan
09:00 - 10:30
Guillaume Le Sourd, UN-GGIM Secretariat
Introduction to CAP method and perspectives
Jean Maurice Muneza, UN-GGKIC
Good practices and challenges across regions beyond the Americas
Roundtable of national experiences from countries with the CAP approaches: advantages and challenges of different approaches
Good practices and challenges developing Country-level Action Plans, methods and approach considerations
» Open discussion
Session II-2: Developing Leadership through multi-stakeholder cooperation
11:00 - 12:30
Guillaume Le Sourd, UN-GGIM Secretariat
Advancing geospatial value and benefits, advancing national priorities and global agendas
» Open discussion / breakout sessions
Jean Maurice Muneza, UN-GGKIC
Geospatial Leadership capacity development programme: Urgency, skills requirements, multidisciplinary and support from UNGGKIC
» Roundtable and open discussion
Session II-3: Partnership and innovation
14:00 - 15:30
Valrie Grant, UN-GGIM Private Sector Network
Partnerships and role of the private sector
Rosario Casanova, Coordinator UN-GGIM: Americas Academic Network
Partnership and role of Academic network
Antonio Campuzano, Secretary General (PAIGH)
Pan American Institute of Geography and History
Gustavo Caubarrére, President
SIRGAS
» Open discussion
Summary and Wrap-up for the workshop
16:00 - 17:00
Alvaro Monett, ECLAC
Summary and wrap up for the workshop
Rolando Ocampo, ECLAC
Next steps, partnerships and collaboration to advance the implementation of UN-IGIF in the Americas