United Nations Statistics Division
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UN-GGIM International Forum on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters, 4-5 and 8 September 2016, Bridgetown Barbados


The UN-GGIM Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of Mexico through the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the Ministry of National Assets of Chile and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) convened the UN-GGIM International Forum on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters, from, 4-5 and 8 September 2016, in conjunction with the 8th URISA Caribbean GIS Conference in Bridgetown Barbados 5-8 September 2016.

The forum was held in pursuant to decision 5/110 adopted at the 5th Session of the Committee of Experts that endorsed the creation of the working group, the development of a strategic framework on geospatial information and services for disasters aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and that consideration should be given to the special needs of developing countries with respect to capacity building and sharing knowledge (E/2015/46-E/C.20/2015/17). At its 6th Session the Committee of Experts by decision 6/110 further supported the work of the working group and the convening of an international forum on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters in Barbados in September 2016.

Objective of the Forum

The Forum provided a platform for discussing the means and methods of implementing the UN-GGIM strategic framework on geospatial information and services for disasters that should serve as a new global guideline to ensure the availability and accessibility of quality geospatial information and services across the entire emergency cycle.

Forum Outline

The Forum consisted of a number of themes and sessions that enabled participants to engage with leading international experts to share their experiences and methodologies in the following areas:

  • Best practices and approaches, including legislative and regulatory frameworks, in the provision and use of geospatial information and services ;
  • Country and humanitarian response experiences; and
  • Future challenges and trends

LIST OF DOCUMENTS

Opening Session

  • Introductory Remarks, H.E. Mr. Denis Kellman, M.P., Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development, Barbados
FORUM DOCUMENTS
  • Session 1: Strategic Framework on geospatial information and services for disasters
  • Keynotes:
    • Mr. Rohan Richards and Mr. Peter Tiangco, Co-Chairs, WG-Disasters
    • Mr. Scott Simmons, Executive Director of the Standards Program, OGC
    • Mr. Mark Codling, GIS Infrastructure Manager, National Spatial Data Management Division, Jamaica
  • Panel:
    • Mr. Louis Brown, Chair, WG on Geospatial Information for Climate Change and Disasters, UN-GGIM Americas
  • Session 2A: Experiences, practices, approaches and challenges [Part A: Before Disasters]
  • Keynote:
    • Mr. Carlos Valdés, Director General, National Center for Disaster Prevention, Mexico
  • Panel:
    • Dr. Keiko Sato, Disaster Risk Management Specialist, DFDRR, World Bank Group
    • Mr. Alvaro Monett Hernandez, Executive Secretary, SNIT, Chile
    • Mr. Tyler Radford, Executive Director, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), OpenStreetMap
  • Session 2B: Experiences, practices, approaches and challenges [Part B: During Disasters]
  • Keynote:
    • Mr. Tyler Radford, Executive Director, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), OpenStreetMap
  • Panel:
    • Mr. Arturo López Portillo, Director of Transport and Disaster Risk Reduction, Association of Caribbean States
    • Mr. Francisco Jiménez Nava, Deputy Director General, Natural Resources and Environment, INEGI, Mexico
    • Ms. Quanhong Zheng, Head of GeoDatabase Department, NASG, China
  • Session 2C: Experiences, practices, approaches and challenges [Part C: After Disasters]
  • Keynote:
    • Mr. Ronald Jackson, Executive Director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)
  • Panel:
    • Mr. Mark Codling, GIS Infrastructure Manager, National Spatial Data Management Division, Jamaica
    • Mr. Robert Harewood, Deputy Director, Department of Emergency Management, Barbados
    • Mr. Alvaro Monett Hernandez, Executive Secretary, SNIT, Chile
  • Session 3: Potential areas of collaboration between UN-GGIM Framework, Sendai Framework and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
  • Keynote:
    • Mr. Peter Tiangco, Co-Chair WG-Disasters, Administrator of NAMRIA, Philippines
  • Panel:
    • Mr. Rohan Richards, Co-Chair WG-Disasters, and Principal Director, Ministry of Water, Land, Environment & Climate Change, Jamaica
    • Mr. Scott Simmons, Executive Director of the Standards Program, OGC
  • Session 4: The Future we want
  • Keynote:
    • Mr. Rohan Richards, Co-Chair WG-Disasters, and Principal Director, Ministry of Water, Land, Environment & Climate Change, Jamaica
  • Panel:
    • Ms. Valrie Grant, President, URISA Caribbean Chapter

OTHER DOCUMENTS

  • Photographs (forthcoming)
Contact details:
Mr. Kyoung-Soo Eom
UN-GGIM Secretariat
Chief UN Geospatial Information Section
Department of Field Support
Tel: +1 (212) 963-0221
Fax: +1 (212) 963-0130
Email: eom@un.org

Ms. Cecille Blake
UN-GGIM Secretariat
United Nations Statistics Division
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (212) 963-5823
Fax: +1 (212) 963-9851
Email: blake1@un.org