AfriGEOSS - An Initiative to Implement GEOSS in Africa Capacity Building Elements Andiswa Mlisa (GEO Sec) AfriGEOSS-EOPOWER-GEOGLAM Southern Africa 1st Workshop, Symposium, 8-9 May 2014, Pretoria, South Africa

Source: World Factbook, Africa in Context Europe China Argentina India USA “48 States” New Zealand The Size of Africa Africa in Context … Africa covers 20% of Earth’s land surface Accounts for 15% of the world’s total human population China 9,596,960 Km2 USA 9,363,071 Km2 India 3,287,590 Km2 Europe 4,936,973 Km2 Argentina 2,766,890 Km2 New Zealand 268,680 Km2 TOTAL : 30,220,164 km2 Area of Africa: 30,318,830 km2 Source: World Factbook, © GEO Secretariat

…Africa in Context … Issues and challenges food security water scarcity environmental degradation peace and security access to health climate change energy resources

GEO OBJECTIVES Improve and Coordinate Observation Systems (avoid duplications) Provide Easier & More Open Data Access Foster Use (Science, Applications) Building Capacity Identify gaps in observations (based on user requirements) …Earth Observation Systems should be coordinated and shared internationally … to answer Society’s need for informed decision making

GEOSS for AFRICA CBERS Africa, GEONETCast, SERVIR Africa, Sand and Dust Storm Warning System, AEGOS, Wildland Fire Early Warning System, Puma, AMESD, BIOTA, TIGER, SoDa, MERIT, African Protected Areas, ClimDev Africa, ChlorOGIN, FAO-AfriCover, MAFA, ARMC, EAMNET, WATPLAN, AFRIMASON, GARNET-E, SAGA-EO, EOPower, GEONETCab, AGRICAB, MESA, GEO Global Land Cover, GMES & Africa, GEO BON, GEOGLAM; GFOI; Africa Water Cycle Initiative, Blue Planet; MESA, GMES & Africa etc.

African Participation in GEO Member States (22): Algeria Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Congo, Republic of the Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Ghana Guinea-Bissau Guinea, Republic of Madagascar Mali Mauritius Morocco Niger Nigeria South Africa Sudan Tunisia Uganda Participating Organizations (5): AARSE ACMAD EIS-Africa RCMRD UNECA RECTAS

AfriGEOSS‘s Mission Statement Enhance Africa’s capacity for producing, managing and using Earth observations data and information, by developing a continental coordination framework involving the national (countries), the sub-regional (Economic Regions + other sub- regional Institutions) and the regional levels. This would greatly improve Africa’s contribution to GEOSS development as well as the actual use of available data and information for decision making.

Objectives Coordinate and bring together relevant stakeholders, institutions and agencies across Africa Provide a platform for countries to participate in GEO and to contribute to GEOSS; Assist in knowledge sharing and global collaborations; Identify challenges, gaps and opportunities for African contributions to GEO and GEOSS; and Leverage existing capacities and planned assets and resources.

Progress to Date Engage with SADC Officials, Permanent Missions to UN in Geneva, January 2014 Working Group Workshop, March 2014, Nairobi, Kenya Side event, exhibition, & showcase, GEO-X Plenary, January 2014 Stakeholder Workshop on 6th November 2013 Launched 5th November 2013, joint AfricaGIS2013 & GSDI 2014, Ethiopia 2013 Engagement with African Union Commission, November 2013 Letters to GEO Principals - existing and planned activities related to the enhancement of capacity of African countries, July 2013 Endorsed by GEO-IX Plenary, Brazil, November 2012

Implementation Approach Bottom up and top-down approach; Address both infrastructure and services/application components, based on the build-up of sub regional networks; Re-establish strong contacts with GEO Principals and enlargement of the GEO partnership in Africa; Develop an extensive inventory of current and planned initiatives and available resources and map initiative to AfriGEOSS objectives; Link existing initiatives, not yet connected to GEO; Leverage resources to fill identified gaps; Influence upcoming initiatives; Raise awareness and outreach

Implementing AfriGEOSS Strengthen national coordination and capacity Synergies with existing initiatives & programmes Provide linkage support for contributors Contribute to GEOSS and global initiatives Influence upcoming initiatives Results will be first reflected in all GEO Tasks and , progressively, in other activities/initiatives that are not part of the GEO Work Plan.

Infrastructure Coordination of satellite observations and products SANSA (SADC); NASRDA (West Africa); Egypt & Algeria (North Africa); AGEOS (Central Africa), SEAS Project contributing to IN-01 Clarify operation plans for Malindi station (East Africa) Establish contact with Reunion ground station, radar data for East Africa Build synergies with ARMC SANSA & NASRDA registered as Service Provider & Project Manager for the Disaster Charter

Global Projects e.g. GEOGLAM EOPOWER-AfriGEOSS SADC Workshop, 8-9 May 2014, South Africa Common elements of national agriculture systems Scaling issues up national to sub regional, down national to local (district) unit Users needs/application priorities Gaps (Capacity (Institutional, HR), Data (EO), and Infrastructure) Components of a Sub regional GEOGLAM System

Resource Mobilisation Defining a mechanism for coordination of contributions Proposals (Horizon 2020) Working Group for Land Cover in Africa African partners in Ecosystems proposal Initial contacts with African Development Bank Leveraging planned Workshops and Conferences WGLCA workshop, March 2014, Kenya EOPOWER SADC Workshop, May 2014, SA Eumetsat Africa User Forum, September 2014, SA AARSE conference, October 2014, SA

Institutional Development Strengthen relationship with GEO Principals Establish relations with Permanent Missions (presentation to SADC Officials, Permanent Missions to UN in Geneva) Organise national meetings – bring all stakeholders and introduce GEO & AfriGEOSS Build relations with SBA related Ministries and Foreign Affairs Ministries Be ready to contact National Focal Points for specific societal benefit areas Bilateral agreements to leverage resources

Advance GEOSS Policy Mandate Member States to coordinate with relevant Ministries in their countries to have EO & GEOSS in the national statements & declarations (share discussion documents to GEO for inputs) WCDRR 2015 Conference (2nd Hyogo Framework of Action 5th Regional Platform for Africa, 13 – 16 May 2014, Secretariat through ISDR Support Group Egypt in the bureau organising the PrepComs UN Climate Summit, September 2014 Abu Dhabi meeting Solicit engagement with former President of Ghana SDGs / Future Earth / etc Through national

Policy Endorsement Africa-European Union Strategic Partnership, 4th EU-Africa Summit, Roadmap 2014-2017, April 2014, Brussels. “…. We will ensure the establishment of a coherent framework for the development of Earth Observation activities in Africa so that space strategically contributes to Africa’s socio-economic development. Our cooperation will be in line with the priorities of the Africa Space Policy and Strategy and AfriGEOSS, the African segment of the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), in order to deliver services in priority domains for Africa …” Engagement with EC on GMES & Africa Through

Call for Participation Progressively align relevant national investments with GEO Programmes – link your programmes to AfriGEOSS Increase national and regional interagency & interdisciplinary coordination to expand the support for GEO Establish national GEO coordination bodies ….Post 2015 Ministerial Guidance

THANK YOU amlisa@geosec.org www.earthobservations.org