The management of geospatial information has been systematically incorporated into the work agenda of ECLAC's Statistics Division since 2017, in line with the relevance that this matter has acquired in the work of the United Nations at the global level, materialized in the active functioning of a Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management that reports directly to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and which has as focal points the authorities of the national geospatial agencies of the Member States.
This Committee of Experts addresses various issues related to the management of geospatial information, proposes mechanisms for collaboration and exchange of good practices, and elaborates guidelines to strengthen national integration processes, so that geospatial information supports decision-making and the definition of public policies. These guidelines are disseminated through documents whose preparation is in charge of groups of experts and working groups that make up this committee, referring to various topics, including the integration of statistical and geospatial information, the use of geospatial information as a support for disaster management, geospatial support for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, land administration, maritime affairs, and other related matters.
In this context, the Statistics Division of ECLAC acts as Technical Secretariat of the United Nations Regional Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management for the Americas (UN-GGIM: Americas), which is part of the regional architecture of the Committee of Experts mentioned above. In this context, ECLAC supports the Board of Directors of UN-GGIM: Americas in the formulation, execution and monitoring of projects for the strengthening of geospatial capacities in the region; facilitates and articulates the participation of UN-GGIM Member States: Americas in UN-GGIM working groups at the global level; provides technical support to the Executive Secretariat of UN-GGIM: Americas in the preparation of regional or subregional geospatial events; and provides technological support for the dissemination of geospatial and regional statistical information, among others
In order to disseminate these global proposals and support their implementation at the national level, the Statistics Division offers technical assistance in geospatial matters, at the request of the countries of the region and within the framework of projects that address their specific needs. In this way, inter-institutional workshops and working meetings are held with national statistical offices, national geospatial agencies and other related organizations, to advance in the strengthening of governance, the development of policies, the adoption of international standards and the development and implementation of technological tools for the management and dissemination of geospatial and statistical data.