Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) A UN-DESA Initiative in collaboration with Cartographic Section, DFS Stefan Schweinfest UNSD

Overview  Current UN Geospatial Activities  Why GGIM Mechanism ?  ECOSOC Proposal  UN Committee on GGIM  High Level Forum on GGIM  UNGEGN and GGIM  GGIM Website

Current UN Geospatial Activities UN Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific (UNRCC – AP) and PCGIAP  Convened every three years; 18 conferences since 1955 UN Regional Cartographic Conference for the Americas (UNRCC – Americas) and PC-IDEA  Convened every four years; 9 Conferences since 1976 ECA Committee on Development Information Science and Technology (CODIST)  From 1963 until 1990s, nine UN regional cartographic conferences  CODIST exists since 1999 UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names  Standardizing geographical names at the national and international levels every 5 years and three UNGEGN sessions in 5 years Need Global Mechanism

Why GGIM Mechanism ? Lack of global inter-governmental consultation mechanism Regional/substantive fragmentation Various UN activities (UNSDI/UN Map/SALB) need inter- governmental support Global policy issues (climate change, natural disaster, food and epidemic crisis, humanitarian assistance) require strong support through geospatial information Assist Member States to build/exchange/transfer capacity for the management of geospatial information

ECOSOC proposal Foster and strengthen global cooperation in the area of geospatial information management Encourage stronger engagement by Member States, both at technical and policy level Establish the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management Organize high level discussions through Global Fora on Geospatial Information Management (Seoul, October 2011) Encourage transfer of knowledge and expertise to develop capacity of the developing countries in this field

UN Committee on GGIM Elements of the proposed terms of reference: Leadership role for promoting development of GGIM Vehicle for coordination among Member States and between Member States and various international actors Guide the development of principles, policies, methods and mechanisms for standardization, interoperability and sharing of geospatial data and services Ensure accessibility and effective use by broad range of users Compile and disseminate best practices (institutional, technical)

Forum on GGIM First High Level Forum on Global Geospatial Information Management, (24-26 October 2011, Seoul, Republic of Korea): Provide an opportunity for discussion and exchange among representatives of government, international/regional organizations, Non- Governmental Organizations and the private sector.

UNGEGN – GGIM Relationship UNGEGN maintains its unique mandate Chair of UNGEGN participated in the Second and Third GGIM Preparatory Meetings UNGEGN serves as ‘model’ for the Proposed UN Committee on GGIM More visibility for UNGEGN work

PARTNERS GGIM United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management GEOSPATIAL INITIATIVES NEWS UPCOMING UN EVENTS ABOUT GGIM PARTNERS PROJECTS WITH MEMBER STATES There is general agreement by member states of an urgent need for an inter- governmental consultative mechanism that can play a leadership role in setting the agenda for the development of global geospatial information and to promote its use to address key global challenges; to liaise and coordinate among Member States, and between Member States and international organizations. Overview of the UN Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) Paper | Slides MISSION STATEMENT At the second preparatory meeting on Global Geographic Information Management (GGIM), held in New York in May 2010, the participants deemed necessary to develop clear terms of references including a definition of the mission and objectives of the proposed committee of experts on GGIM. A drafting Committee is in the process of elaboration of such document. Comments are most welcome (Please send them to The draft will be discussed at the first meeting of the UN Committee of Experts on GGIM.(GGIM) Draft Mission Statement and Terms of Reference ECOSOC DECISION The Economic and Social Council, recalling resolution 7 of the 18th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific,1 in which the Conference requested the Secretary-General to initiate discussions and prepare a report, for a future session of the Council, on global coordination of geographic information management, and recalling decision 41/110 of the Statistical1

GGIM United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management KEY DOCUMENTS AND SDI WEB SITES IN MEMBER STATES National Policies on Geospatial Information: Spatial Data Infrastructure, Regulatory Practices, Information Management Issues In response to the growing needs for timely and accurate geospatial information for national development, countries are building a strong foundation for their geospatial infrastructure and regulatory framework. Creating a successful National Spatial Data Infrastructure is a highly challenging management task, and the most important element lies, not at the technical level, but rather in establishing effective coordination and infrastructure management in order to realise the full potential of geospatial information and the underlying technology, and to make it accessible to and effectively used by a broad range of users. The role of the government, as the regulator and programme implementer, is rapidly shifting from being a primary provider of authoritative geospatial information to coordinating and managing geospatial data and facilitating partnerships among the producers and consumers of geospatial information. As a result, many countries are developing national policies and practices that formalize the ways in which their geospatial data can be shared, used, and disseminated. They are also considering legislation and regulatory framework for protecting national security, confidentiality and citizen privacy rights, if they have not already done so. Below are links to key documents and material available on the web, some of them provided by Member States regarding their National Policies on Geospatial Information. The section is meant to be populated by the national geospatial authorities of the countries to ensure that the information is an authentic reflection of the national situation. Please send documents and links to or

For further information, please visit the GGIM website: