Efforts towards, and Status of ‘SDI Africa’ 6 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference, Budapest, 16 – 19 September 2002 By Dozie Ezigbalike United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Outline Pretoria Initiative of 1999 UNECA and the Committee on Development Information CODI-2 SDI Recommendations ECA’s SDI activities Other relevant initiatives Conclusion

Pretoria Initiative Conference of ‘Earth Data Information Systems’ (EDIS) in Pretoria in July 1999 Workshop to consider a spatial data infrastructure for Africa Organised by NSIF and World Bank Programme on Environmental Information Systems for SSA (now EIS- Africa) Four Areas: –Networking –Incentives and Obstacles –Technology –Framework for African SDI

Networking To share, assist, participate, learn and link-up with other initiatives worldwide (GSDI) Identified Initiatives: –The Program on Environment Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (EIS) –The Food Security Programme/ Regional Remote Sensing Unit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) –The South African National Spatial Information Framework (NSIF) Directorate – as host of the Network

Incentives Money saving Transfer of tools and knowledge among countries Trans-boundary decisions Disaster mitigation and prevention Multi-disciplinary approach Alignment of regional projects

Obstacles Lack of awareness Perceived control of SDI by national mapping agencies Political systems and legacies Initiatives driven by donors with different agendas Financial constraints –Coordination of the initiative –Travel for meetings and conferences Leadership and trust

Technology Need to use standards and technology endorsed by GSDI Internet and network connectivity across Africa Need for a test project involving traditional and non-traditional mapping agencies Short term: Metadata and clearinghouse, with virtual nodes Long term: Education, software access, metadata and permanent clearinghouse nodes

Framework Role of CODI-Geo recognised –Request a standing committee on African SDI Request NSIF to provide tools and initial coordination Interim task team until GSDI-4 in Cape Town Bottom-up approach using existing initiatives

What went wrong? Identified individual ‘champions’ did not necessary commit their organisations No resources–human and financial–to run the initiative Not enough time for activities planned before Cape Town 2000 Outside CODI meeting cycle –No CODI meeting by time of Cape Town 2000 for report

What is CODI? C ommittee O n D evelopment I nformation Established in 1997 by the Conference of African Ministers responsible for Planning & Development Therefore it is one of the parliamentary organs of ECA –Makes recommendations to the Conference of ministers for implementation Provides policy and technical guidance for the implementation of the program on “harnessing information for development” –Resolutions influence design of ECA/DISD work programmes

CODI … Brings together practitioners in –Statistics –Geoinformation –Libraries and documentation –Information and communications technology Official delegates are government officials in these fields Observers from academia, private practice, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, etc Before CODI, different United Nations Regional Conferences –E.g., UN Cartographic Conference

Dual Function CODI meetings have two functions Parliamentary: –Make resolutions and recommendations for governments and ECA to implement Educational: –Intellectual think-thank and exposure to new concepts and technology

Subcommittee Structure Divided into discipline-based subcommittee –CODI-Geo –CODI-Stats –CODI-ICT (incorporating librarians) Targeted workgroups in subcommittee Report back in plenary for interfaces and synergies CODI-Geo assumes functions of UNRCCA –With information society focus on the issues Current emphasis on SDI developments

CODI II Resolutions on SDI Priority should be given to establishment of NSDI Also establish RSDI, with an African Geographic Database ‘Permanent Committee’ on SDI in Africa Participate in international developments and efforts National GI policies should be integral part of national information and communications policy Appropriate legal, institutional and technical framework for integrated SDI Adapt ECA model policy guidelines

ECA Response Pre-CODI II, prepared position paper on “Future orientation of GI activities …” –Adopted by CODI II Participation in workshops and seminars to raise awareness –FIG, AfricaGIS, UNEP meetings, GISD, US/NRC, OOSA’s disaster management and GNSS workshops, etc Study on use of GIS in statistical offices Study on status of SDI in Africa and way forward–ongoing Group of experts meeting to produce SDI Africa handbook

ECA Response … Planned symposium to set up regional body for coordinating SDI activities –Similar to permanent committees of Asia- Pacific and Latin America Clearinghouse node for search and discovery of spatial data resources with African content –With country spaces for interim hosting of metadata on behalf of member states Mapping services for dissemination of ECA information Continuing efforts on AFREF

Status of ‘Permanent Committee’ CODI Secretariat – ECA Geoinformation Team – has studied and adapted statement of PCGIAP, PC-IDEA, EUROGI and GSDI Association Will make proposals to the ‘Way Forward’ experts meetings on structural positioning of the body –Funding and continuity are big issues –Reporting and supervisory arrangements Symposium in 2003 to adopt recommendations CODI-III in May 2003 to ratify and operationalise

Other Major Initiatives EIS-Africa –Successor to World Banks EIS-SSA –Grew out of need to harmonise spatial data resources for NEAPs in the 1980 – including institutional arrangements and partnerships UNEP’s African Environmental Information Network FAO’s Africover project US State Dept’s GISD Forum on Information for Sustainable Development

Conclusion ‘SDI Africa’ is on track –Slow but making progress –May or may not be called PC –Structure likely to be ratified at CODI-III What has changed? –More understanding and communication between several initiatives –More understanding and cooperation among national mapping organisations and other national agencies –More willingness among donors to cooperate –More targeted assistance from GSDI, FGDC and FIG towards SDI initiatives in Africa and the ‘PC’

CODI III CODI III planned for May 2003 Theme will be on “Information for Governance” –To feed into 4 th African Development Forum (ADF IV) theme of Governance Usual pre-meeting and side workshops and seminars Suggestions for workshop themes welcome Expression of interest to organise or sponsor workshop or seminar welcome

Contacting us Karima Bounemra –Director, Development Information Services Division Orlando Nino-Fluck –Team Leader, Geoinformation Team Dozie Ezigbalike –Development Management Officer Web site: – –

Thanks