The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said it has concluded arrangement to host the World Geo-spatial Data Infrastructure and AfricaGIS Conferences in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
A statement by ECA’s Information and Communication Directorate, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Addis Ababa on Thursday said that the five-day conference will be held between Nov.4 and Nov.8 in Addis Ababa.
The Commission said it would host the event in collaboration with Addis Ababa University, the Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) and the GIS Society of Ethiopia (GISSE), in an effort to support the country’s economic development and poverty reduction programmes.
It said the event would feature deliberations and debates by leading scholars and various technical sessions with reports of the latest research outcomes as well as discussion sessions on topics such as capacity building, SDI, space policy, programmes and projects.
“There will in addition be exhibitions of the latest products and services in geo-spatial science and technology.’’
The statement said policy-makers, individual and corporate practitioners across the globe including the UN agencies, sub-regional, regional and international inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations are expected to attain the event.
“Academics and research institutions, multi-national corporations, small and medium enterprises and civil society organisations will equally be in attendance.
“Environment Information Systems in Africa (EIS-Africa) and the Global Geo-spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Association are partnering to organise this year’s joint conference.“
EIS-Africa is a pan-African membership network working to improve the use of geo-spatial and environmental information to enrich policy debate and support decision-making for the well-being of Africa’s people the statement said.
EIS has had a long partnership with ECA in supporting Africa’s Spatial Infrastructure (SDI), CODIST and Mapping Africa for Africa and most recently the Global Geo-spatial Information Management initiative.
The GSDI is a global organisation set up to promote international cooperation and collaboration in support of local, national and international spatial data infrastructure developments that will allow nations to address social, economic, and environmental issues.(NAN)
