About UN-GGIM

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).

SOME UN-GGIM AREAS OF WORK
The priorities and work programmes of the Committee of Experts are driven by Member States. The Committee of Experts is mandated, among other tasks, to provide a platform for the development of effective strategies on how to build and strengthen national capacity on geospatial information, as well as disseminating best practices and experiences of national, regional and international bodies on geospatial information related to legal instruments, management models and technical standards.

1. Development of the global geodetic reference frame
2. Development of a global map for sustainable development
3. Geospatial information supporting Sustainable Development and the post 2015 development agenda
4. Adoption and implementation of standards by the global geospatial information community
5. Development of a knowledge base for geospatial information
6. Identification of trends in national institutional arrangements in geospatial information management
7. Integrating geospatial statistics and other information
8. Legal and policy frameworks, including critical issues related to authoritative data
9. Development of shared statement of principles on the management of geospatial information
10. Determining fundamental data sets