UN-GGIM

The United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC) convened its Geospatial knowledge and Innovation Week (GeoNow), in Deqing, China, from 21 - 24 October 2024. This inaugural edition of GeoNow under the theme "Geospatial IDEAS Benefiting Our World" brought together over 700 participants including a group of international participants who came from over 40 countries. The participants included representatives from United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management regional committees and thematic networks, United Nations system, geospatial industries, research institutions, and local government agencies and stakeholders.

The event was co-organized with the Government of Deqing County and the Moganshan Geospatial Information Laboratory in Deqing, with the support from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Government of China. It featured thematic forums known as "Moganshan Talks," which addressed topics such as geospatial knowledge, cross-border integration, strengthening digital infrastructure, and youth leadership in the geospatial field.

In making decision 14/101 at its fourteenth session from 7-9 August 2024, the Committee of Experts reiterated the importance of strengthening and enhancing national geospatial information management arrangements, capacity, capability and leadership, and urged for sustained national investments in national geospatial programs. The Centre is an office away from headquarters established by the United Nations in the Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The Centre's overarching goal is to work towards the ambitions of implementation of the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (UN-IGIF) set by Member States, to develop capacity, promote and support the required innovation, leadership, coordination and standards to develop, strengthen, integrate and deliver national geospatial information policy, data, systems, tools, services and capabilities into their national government development policies, strategies and arrangements.