UN-GGIM

The Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management at its fourteenth session from 7 - 9 August 2024 reiterated the importance of strengthening and enhancing national geospatial information management arrangement, capacity, capability and leadership, and urged for sustained national investments in national geospatial programmes. The Committee of Experts, whilst appreciated the establishment of a new and enlarged secretariat for the Committee of Experts dedicated to the Committee's normative and implementation work on global geospatial information management, requested the Secretariat to focus, in particular, on (i) supporting the Bureau to develop a strategic framework for the period 2025-2030, (ii) strengthening effective global coordination and governance arrangements for the United Nations global geospatial centres, and (iii) supporting a global programme of national capacity development aligned with the Committee's operations focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework-IGIF.

The Committee also reaffirmed that the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework was a key umbrella for the many activities under the purview of the Committee of Experts, reiterated the importance for coordination, coherence and alignment in the work, efforts and activities of the High-level Group of the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework, the regional committees, functional groups, thematic networks of the Committee, and the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre, further reiterated the importance for implementing the Framework together for the benefit of all. In this regard, the Committee of Experts also affirmed the benefits of partnership and collaboration and welcomed offers from some Member States to support the adoption and operationalization of the Framework across Member States, noting that the Framework was a broad work item within the programme of work of the Committee of Experts and that strategic and effective implementing partnerships and collaboration arrangements would be beneficial.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) had welcomed and noted the report from the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (E/2022/68) and adopted resolution 2022/24 entitled "Enhancing global geospatial information management arrangements" in which it noted "the importance of strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of the Committee of Experts, particularly for the achievement of its operations focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework." Nationally integrated geospatial information management capacities and capabilities is an essential component of national digital public infrastructure, and enhancing national geospatial information arrangements is essential to address national economic, social and environmental priorities, the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and to bridge the 'geospatial digital divide.'

The Summit of the Future, held at the United Nations Headquarters in September 2024, produced an inter-governmentally negotiated, action-oriented Pact for the Future which acknowledged the contribution of science, technology and innovation to sustainable development and as a critical source of economic growth and industrial development. The Global Digital Compact annexed to the Pact recognized that digital technologies are dramatically transforming our world and calls for closing all digital divides and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Global Digital Compact further recognized the importance of digital public infrastructure, built in accordance with national priorities and needs.

The meeting of the Bureau of the Committee of Experts and its expanded bureau together with the fifth plenary meeting of the High-level Group of the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (HLG-IGIF) will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 2-4 February 2025, hosted by the Geospatial Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meetings will bring together members of the Bureau and its expanded bureau and the High-level Group to consider strategic directions and priorities in enhancing global geospatial information management arrangements and accelerating the implementation of the UN-IGIF and the SDGs.

Areas to be considered include the strategic framework for the Committee of Experts, , strengthening effective governance and coordination of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Centres of Excellence, supporting a global programme of national capacity development aligned with the Committee's focused operations, the regional committees, functional groups and thematic networks and their activities, the agenda item on 'climate, environment and resilience,', the third World Geospatial Information Congress, and priorities for the successful uptake and wider adoption of the UN-IGIF to ensure its continued effectiveness and benefits to all Member States.