I.Background
- The Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa represents Africa’s unified commitment to harnessing the full potential of geospatial information to accelerate sustainable development across the continent. Established to coordinate and advocate for geospatial development in Africa, the committee embodies a robust vision of increased spatial literacy, technological innovation, and data-driven policymaking that aligns with Africa’s unique socio-economic challenges and global trends.
- Over the past decade, Africa has steadily gained momentum as a serious global contributor to geospatial information management. The committee’s evolution is a testament to the continent’s growing capacity, resilience, and strategic foresight, particularly illustrated in its responses to recent global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Convening under the theme, "Harnessing Geospatial Intelligence for Africa’s Sustainable and Resilient Future." The eleventh session will be at a pivotal moment in which we must reimagine how we engage with geospatial data, products and services for sustainable future. This theme challenges us to fully adopt innovation and new frontier technologies of all process, and promotion of integrated frameworks that can reshape our geospatial landscape.
- The eleventh session of the Regional Committee is organised back-to-back with the AfricaGIS 2025 Conference in Accra, Ghana, from 17th to 21st November 2025.
II. Objectives
- The mission of the Regional Committee is to mainstream geospatial information into national and regional priorities, ensuring that such information enables the fulfilment of African development agendas. It seeks to achieve its mission by fostering cooperation among member States, developing policy frameworks, building technical capacity and promoting the use and sharing of geospatial data to inform decision-making processes.
- The objective of the eleventh meeting is to review past actions and recommendations and build a shared vision of the transformative power of geospatial information. It is anticipated that participants will share knowledge, inspire innovation and highlight best practices that harness the region’s unique potential. By spotlighting the immense benefits of geospatial data, sustainable development can be catalysed across the continent, forging a future in which data-driven insights empower communities and shape resilient, thriving societies. In addition, the meeting will provide an opportunity to celebrate the progress achieved through collective commitment to advancing geospatial data in Africa.
III. Issues to be addressed
The issues that will be addressed during the eleventh meeting include the following:
- Spatial equity and inclusion, targeting inclusive geospatial capacity-building with a focus on young professional women, to ensure equitable access to spatial information and its benefits;
- Global and regional synergies, strengthening links with other regional committees of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management and global geospatial initiatives in order to amplify the continent’s voice and share African experiences on the world stage;
- Holistic integration of geospatial information into policy and development, advocating greater incorporation of geospatial data into national development frameworks, climate action, urban planning and crisis resilience;
- Innovation in data technologies, promoting the ethical use of emerging forms of data and data processing, such as hyperlocal data streams and real-time spatial analytics, while harnessing artificial intelligence and advanced cartographic techniques;
- Sustainable funding and institutions, defining sustainable financing models, including public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder resource mobilization, that guarantee the Regional Committee’s long-term operational effectiveness.