Kingdom attends 14th meeting of UN Committee of Experts on Geographic Information Management

The Kingdom, in the name of the General Directorate of Surveying and Geospatial Information, participated in the work of the 14th meeting of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2017. On August 7 this year, the Saudi delegation was headed by Dr. Mohammed bin Yahya Al Sayel, Chairman of the General Directorate of Surveying and Geospatial Information, and an expert on United Nations Geospatial Information Management. The head of the Kingdom’s “Geospatial Information” made a speech, saying: “The Kingdom appreciates the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management’s welcome to the Kingdom to host the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Environment Center (THE ECOSYSTEM) in 2017”. Riyadh, also welcomed the report including the strengthening of geospatial information management arrangements at the global level, emphasizing that the Kingdom is working to complete all the necessary preparations for the establishment of the United Nations Global Environment Center in Riyadh to incubate geospatial information (ECOSYSTEM) in consultation with the United Nations Committee of Experts on Geospatial Information Management and its affiliated teams, as well as member states and centers, to contribute to the study of the environment. United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, because the presence of the center will help predict the future of geospatial information management.

He pointed out that this initiative has the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has prepared all means and preparations to make the center work for everyone, and that the Kingdom is also honored to contribute to these Centers of Excellence by participating in the consultation committee of the Centers of Excellence, as well as the Kingdom’s support for the extension of the current agreement of the United Nations Global Geodetic Excellence Fund until December 31, 2030 AD, in order to ensure the long-term operation of the Center.

At the end of his speech, the Geospatial President expressed the Kingdom’s gratitude to the Government of Mexico for its efforts in hosting the 7th High-Level Forum on Geospatial Information Management, which will be held in Mexico City in October 2024, stressing the Kingdom’s support for the work of the General Secretariat of the UN Committee of Experts to ensure its continued success and the success of all its activities.

A number of agenda items were discussed during the meeting, including strengthening global geospatial information management arrangements, strengthening the future geospatial information environment, and following up on the contributions of the regional commissions and thematic networks to geospatial information-related programmes. The Integrated Geospatial Information Framework and the Global Geodetic Reference Framework at the global level, the use of geospatial information to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and the integration of geospatial information, statistical information and other related information. The use of integrated geospatial information in effective land management and regulation, the role of policy and legal frameworks, including those related to reference data, in addition to the use of integrated marine geospatial information, and strengthening cooperation with the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.

It is noteworthy that the Geospatial Department, according to its organizational structure, is responsible for organizing the surveying, geospatial information and imaging sectors related to its work in the Kingdom and, within this framework, represents the Kingdom internally and externally in matters concerning its functions, as well as coordinating and cooperating with counterparts in other countries and relevant international institutions and organizations.