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United nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM)


The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in July 2011 (ECOSOC Resolution 2011/24) as the official United Nations consultative mechanism on global geospatial information management.

The primary objectives of the UN Committee of Experts are to provide a forum for coordination and dialogue among Member States, and between Member States and relevant international organizations, and to propose work-plans with a view to promoting global frameworks, common principles, policies, guidelines and standards for the interoperability and inter-changeability of geospatial data and services.

The terms of reference approved by ECOSOC call upon Member States to designate experts with specific knowledge drawn from the inter-related fields of surveying, geography, cartography and mapping, remote sensing, land-sea and geographic information systems and environmental protection. The Committee also comprises experts from international organizations, who serve as observers.

On 27 July 2016, following a year-long consultative process on the comprehensive review of the work and operations of UN-GGIM, ECOSOC adopted a resolution (2016/27) entitled “Strengthening institutional arrangements on geospatial information management”. This resolution stressed the continued need to strengthen the coordination and coherence of global geospatial information management, in capacity-building, norm-setting, data collection, data dissemination and data sharing, among others, through appropriate coordination mechanisms.

ECOSOC resolution 2011/24 (in all six official languages)
- Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish

Terms of Reference (in all six official languages)
- Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish

ECOSOC resolution 2016/27 (in all six official languages)
Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish



Seventh session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), UN Headquarters, New York, 2-4 August 2017


The seventh session of the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was successfully concluded at 5:00pm on Friday 4 August 2017 with the adoption of the report. The formal Committee session was opened by the Under-Secretary-General of DESA Mr. Liu Zhenmin, who welcomed almost 400 delegates from about 90 countries and international organizations active in the field of geospatial information management. The Committee elected its Bureau - United States (re-elected), China (re-elected), the Netherlands (new) and Cameroon (new). It considered 17 substantive agenda items, including: the contribution of regional committees and UN-GGIM networks to the global geospatial information agenda; strengthening geospatial information management; a global geodetic reference frame; land administration and management; national institutional arrangements; global fundamental geospatial data themes; geospatial information and services for disasters; national geospatial data and information systems; marine geospatial information; legal and policy frameworks, and implementing the 2030 Agenda through geospatial information and its integration with statistics.

Among the significant outcomes of the session were the establishment of two new Working Groups on Legal and Policy Frameworks, and Marine Geospatial Information; the adoption of a Strategic Framework on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters; the endorsement of an overarching framework for national institutional arrangements on geospatial information; and a collaborative agreement with the World Bank to implement a new initiative to assist low-income countries to develop their national geospatial information systems. The Committee also welcomed the convening of the fifth High Level Forum on United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management, hosted by INEGI of Mexico in Mexico City in November 2017, with an overarching theme “Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Geospatial Technology and Innovation”.

The formal Committee session was accompanied by a lively programme of side events, starting with a Caribbean Training Workshop on Sunday 30 July. A total of 30 side events were very well attended and are testimony of a vibrant professional community. One of the major side events was a Forum on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development “Where is the Data?” Attended by more than 200 participants, the Forum explored how we will measure, monitor and report progress on the 17 SDGs and their associated targets and indicators with geospatial information. A meeting of the Expanded Bureau of the Committee was also convened, which discussed among other things, mechanisms to implement the Strategic Framework of UN-GGIM for the 2017-2021 period.

One year on from the adoption of the ECOSOC resolution on ‘Strengthening institutional arrangements on geospatial information management”, which broadened the mandate of the Committee of Experts, delegates expressed great satisfaction with the efforts to take practical and strategic actions to implement the resolution and strengthen geospatial information management for Member States. These actions include, developing frameworks, guides, norms, standards and methodological development along with normative strengthening and capacity development for geospatial information management; with a particular emphasis on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Opening SESSION
Documents
Other documents
SIDE EVENTS
COUNTRY REPORTS
MEETING DOCUMENTS

SIXTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, 1-5 AUGUST 2016, NEW YORK


The Sixth Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held from 1-5 August 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Preceded by a number of related side events from 1-2 August 2016, the Sixth Session of UN-GGIM brought together senior executives from national geospatial information and statistical authorities within Member States, and international geospatial experts from across the globe.

With more than 300 participants from 95 countries, 4 international organisations, 8 UN systems and related organizations, 13 non-goverment organizations, 16 private sector and 8 academic network, the discussions and outcomes further recognised and determined the critical role of geospatial information management and the need for strengthened collaboration and joined initiatives, to advance the development and use of geospatial data and tools to support sustainable development and related global agendas.

Opening SESSION
Documents
Other documents
SIDE EVENTS
Evaluation
MEETING DOCUMENTS

FIFTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, 3-7 AUGUST 2015, NEW YORK


The Fifth Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held from 3-7 August 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Preceded by a number of related side events from 3-4 August 2015, the Fifth Session of UN-GGIM brought together senior executives from national geospatial information and statistical authorities within Member States, and international geospatial experts from across the globe.

With more than 290 participants from 86 countries, 9 international organisations, 10 UN bodies, and 30 private sector/non-goverment entities, the discussions and outcomes further recognised and determined the critical role of geospatial information management and the need for strengthened collaboration and joined initiatives, to advance the development and use of geospatial data and tools to support sustainable development and related global agendas.

Opening SESSION
Documents
Other documents
SIDE EVENTS
MEETING DOCUMENTS

FOURTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, NEW YORK (2014)


The Fourth Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held from 6-8 August 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Preceded by a UN Global Forum on the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information and a number of technical side events, the Fourth Session of UN-GGIM brought together senior executives from national geospatial information and statistical authorities within Member States, and international geospatial experts from across the globe.

With more than 280 participants from 87 countries, 17 international organisations, 11 UN bodies, and 31 private sector/non-goverment entities, the discussions and outcomes further recognised and determined the critical role of geospatial information management and the need for strengthened collaboration and joined initiatives, to advance the development and use of geospatial data and tools to support sustainable development and related global agendas.

Opening statements
Documents
Other documents
SIDE EVENTS
UN Global Forum on the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information
COUNTRY REPORTS
MEETING DOCUMENTS

THIRD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, united kingdom (2013)


The Third Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held from 24-26 July 2013 at the Corn Exchange Building, Cambridge City Centre, United Kingdom.

Bringing together more than 250 geospatial experts from across the globe, the Third Session of UN-GGIM was convened back-to-back with the Cambridge Conference, and made considerable progress in fulfilling GGIM’s mandate to enhance collaboration and support the use of geospatial information to promote sustainable development globally.

For additional information on the Cambridge Conference you may visit http://www.cambridgeconference.com/conference_2013/.

Documents
Other documents
SIDE EVENTS
MEETING DOCUMENTS

SECOND SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, New York (2012)

The Second Session of the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management was held at UN (New York) from 13 - 15 August 2012.
Interpretation in all six languages was provided.

OPENING STATEMENTS
Press Release
MEETING DOCUMENTS

INAUGURAL SESSION (2011)


The Inaugural meeting brought together 350 experts from 90 countries, 22 United Nations representatives and 37 representatives from international organisations and the private sector.

The Forum was opened by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-Sik of the Republic of Korea, United Nations Under-Secretary-General Mr. Sha Zukang, and Prof. Cartwright, President of the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies.

The Forum began with a Ministerial Segment with Ministers from eight countries ( Korea, Chile, Finland, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Namibia, Niger). They all endorsed the important role of geospatial information in policy formulation and evidence-based decision making for national development.

The Terms of Reference of the Committee of Experts was adopted, the Rules of Procedure of the Committee were reviewed, its contribution to Rio+20 was discussed as well as an inventory of critical issues to be addressed by the Committee for future sessions.

Discussed were the importance of collaboration among Member States in developing common frameworks, tools and procedures, the need to share best practices on the impact and usefulness of well implemented national spatial data infrastructures. It was also recognized that the geospatial industry is a key partner in global geospatial information community and noted the importance of continuing the dialogue between governments and industry under the umbrella of UN-GGIM.

The Seoul Declaration was adopted at the end of the Forum.

 
List of documents
* These papers were not subject to formal editing and were distributed in the language received as conference room papers.

Scoping papers

By countries
  • Australia - Scoping Paper for the Proposed United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geographic Information Management - English
  • Brazil - Data Integration - English
  • Burkina Faso - Capacity Building and Technology Transfer for Global Geographical Information Management - English | French
  • Japan - Scoping Paper for the Proposed United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geographic Information Management - English
  • Republic of Korea - Reflections on the critical issues in Global Geographical Information Management - English
By organizations
GSDI
Global Mapping
EUROGI
ISO/TC 211
UNGEGN