AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The United Nations initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) aims at playing a leading role in setting the agenda for the development of global geospatial information and to promote its use to address key global challenges. It provides a forum to liaise and coordinate among Member States, and between Member States and international organizations.

GENESIS OF UN-GGIM
In 2009, the United Nations Statistics Division/DESA (UNSD) convened in New York, on the side of the 9th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for the Americas (UNRCC-A), an informal consultative meeting with geospatial information experts from different regions of the world, and discussed how to better coordinate the various regional and global activities on geospatial information and the related management issues. Subsequent to the consultative meeting, the UNSD, jointly with the United Nations Cartographic Section, convened three preparatory meetings on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM): the first in Bangkok in October 2009, prior to the 18th UNRCC-AP, the second in New York, in May 2010, and the third one also in New York, in April 2011.

In 2010, at the 18th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific (UNRCC-AP), and the 41st session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, the issue of global geospatial information management was also discussed. The United Nations Secretariat was requested to initiate discussion and prepare a report for the approval of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on global coordination of geospatial information management, including the consideration of the possible creation of a United Nations Forum on GGIM. In July 2010, ECOSOC requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Council at its 2011 substantive session a report on global geospatial information management (see the full text E/2010/240). This decision paved the way for subsequent GGIM preparatory activities.

CREATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS
At its substantive session in July 2011, ECOSOC considered the report of the Secretary General (E/2011/89) and adopted a resolution to create the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (2011/24).

From 24 - 26 October 2011, the First High Level Forum on Global Geospatial Information Management, and the First Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts were held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. This was the first time that experts from 90 countries met in the context of a United Nations initiative to enhance global cooperation in the field of geospatial information management. The Forum concluded with the acceptance of the Seoul Declaration on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM).

WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS
The Second Session of the Committee of Experts was successfully held in New York in August 2012. The meting was attended by 148 participants from 61 Member States and 34 representatives from United Nations organizations and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. The discussions were centered around eight areas of concern. Based on the discussions, nine decisions covering critical issues such as the future trends for geospatial information, development of a knowledge base, a global geodetic reference system and developing a global map for sustainable development were adopted by the Committee.

The Third Session of the Committee of Experts will be held in July 2013 in the United Kingdom, combined with the Ordnance Survey's historical Cambridge Conference.

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From 24 - 26 July 2013, geospatial experts from across the globe are scheduled to attend the Third Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) at the Corn Exchange Building, Cambridge City Centre, United Kingdom. more...

The Second High Level Forum on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) was held in Doha, Qatar from 4-6 February, 2013 at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

The Secretariat of the United Nations initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), in collaboration with the Government of Qatar, Statistics Authority, successfully convened the Second High Level Forum. more...

The Second Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13-15 August 2012. more...

Past Session:
The Inaugural Session of the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 26 October 2011. more...

                            

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (or Rio +20) was held from 20 to 22 June 2012 at the RioCentro Convention Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This global event saw world leaders debate about and make decisions on how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an increasingly crowded planet in order to determine the future we want.

The United Nations initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) had a presence at two side events during the main Rio+20 conference period to demonstrate the importance of geospatial information and location in monitoring sustainable development. more...

Monitoring Sustainable Development - Why Location Matters	Global Map for Sustainable Development
5:00-6:30pm, Room T-10	11:15am-12:45pm, Japan Pavilion
RioCentro, 20 June 2012	Athletes' Park, 22 June 2012

• ECOSOC - Resolution 2010/240 entitled Global geographic information management
• UNRCC-AP - Resolution VII: Global geographic information management
• UN STATCOM - Statistical Commission decision 41/110: Global geographic information management
• 2010 UN STATCOM - Discussion paper on Global Geospatial Information Management
• 2011 UN STATCOM - Report on Global Geospatial Information Management
• CODIST resolution on GGIM
• ISO/TC 211 resolutions on GGIM