1. AfriGEOSS - An Initiative to Implement GEOSS in Africa Andiswa Mlisa GEO-X Plenary, 15 – 16 January 2014, Geneva, Switzerland

2. © GEO Secretariat Africa in Context … The Size of Africa Europe China Argentina India USA “48 States” New Zealand China 9,596,960 Km 2 USA9,363,071 Km 2 India 3,287,590 Km 2 Europe4,936,973 Km 2 Argentina2,766,890 Km 2 New Zealand 268,680 Km 2 TOTAL : 30,220,164 km 2 Area of Africa: 30,318,830 km 2 Source: World Factbook,  Africa covers 20% of Earth’s land surface  Accounts for 15% of the world’s total human population Africa in Context

3. Political Call for Action …to create a world where decisions and actions are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained Earth observations WSSD 2002

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

5.  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;  Leverage existing capacities and planned assets and resources; and Objectives

6.  Letters to GEO Principals asking for information on existing and planned activities related to the enhancement of capacity of African countries  Engagement with African Union Commission  Launched 5 th November 2013, joint AfricaGIS2013 & GSDI 2014, Ethiopia 2013  Stakeholder Workshop on 6 th November 2013 Progress to Date  Endorsed by GEO-IX Plenary, Brazil, November 2012

7.  Bottom up and top-down approach;  Address both infrastructure and services/application components, based on the build-up of sub regional networks;  Develop sub regional roadmaps  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 Implementation Approach

8. Organisational Arrangement Steering or Advisory Committee Working Group Sub-regional focal points National focal points

9. 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, GEO GLAM ; GFOI ; Africa Water Cycle, Blue Planet ; etc.

10. THANK YOU