1. AfriGEOSS - An Initiative to Implement GEOSS in Africa Andiswa Mlisa GEO Secretariat Eastern & Southern Africa Global Land Cover Workshop, 10-14 March 2014, Nairobi, Kenya

2. Political Call for Action …to create a world where decisions and actions are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained Earth observations WSSD 2002

3. GEOSS for AFRICA CBERS Africa, GEONETCast, SERVIR Africa, Sand and Dust Storm Warning System, AEGOS, Wildland Fire Early Warning System, Puma, AMESD, BIOTA, TIGER, SoDa, MERIT, African Protected Areas, ClimDev Africa, ChlorOGIN, FAO-AfriCover, MAFA, ARMC, EAMNET, WATPLAN, AFRIMASON, GARNET-E, SAGA-EO, EOPower, GEONETCab, AGRICAB, MESA, GEO Global Land Cover, GMES & Africa, GEO BON, GEO GLAM; GFOI; Africa Water Cycle Coordination Initiative, Blue Planet; etc.

4. African Participation in GEO Member States (22): o Algeria o Burkina Faso o Cameroon o Central African Republic o Congo, Republic of the o Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) o Egypt o Ethiopia o Gabon o Ghana o Guinea-Bissau o Guinea, Republic of o Madagascar o Mali o Mauritius o Morocco o Niger o Nigeria o South Africa o Sudan o Tunisia o Uganda Participating Organizations (5): o AARSE o ACMAD o EIS-Africa o RCMRD o UNECA o RECTAS (applied)

5.  Coordinate and bring together relevant stakeholders, institutions and agencies across Africa  Provide a platform for countries to participate in GEO and to contribute to GEOSS;  Assist in knowledge sharing and global collaborations;  Identify challenges, gaps and opportunities for African contributions to GEO and GEOSS;  Leverage existing capacities and planned assets and resources; and Objectives

6.  Letters to GEO Principals asking for information on existing and planned activities related to the enhancement of capacity of African countries  Launched 5 th November 2013, joint AfricaGIS2013 & GSDI 2014, Ethiopia 2013  Stakeholder Workshop on 6 th November 2013  Working Group Workshop February 2014 Progress to Date  Endorsed by GEO-IX Plenary, Brazil, November 2012  Engagement with African Union Commission

7.  Participate in the realisation of AfriGEOSS objectives through contributing your current and planned initiatives  Participate in the upcoming sub regional workshop  Assist in the engagement with GEO Principals and establishing national coordination mechanisms  Champion for your country & organisation to join GEO Call for Action

8. THANK YOU