THANK YOU to all those who were thoughtful and made the effort to submit materials the past couple of weeks. There have been more contributions to this issue than ever before.... so much so, that I will save some of the news items in the November 2003 issue. Had I not, this newsletter issue would have been even longer than most of them already are! Does this mean we've turned a corner in people willing to take the time to share information about what they are doing? I'd like to think so. Please continue to think of others and describe your experiences/lessons learned/best practices. Also, if you make use of this information in some way and have an opportunity to recognize the newsletter as a source where you found the information, please give the newsletter due credit. Thank you. Regards, Kate -------------------------------------------------------------------- SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA UPDATE VOL 2, NO. 12 - 17 OCTOBER 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Spatial Data Infrastructure Africa (SDI-Africa) is a free email newsletter for people interested in GIS, remote sensing, and data management issues in Africa. To subscribe to SDI Africa, unsubscribe, or change your email address, contact: klance@usgs.gov If you're subscribing, please indicate your institutional affiliation and how you learned about the SDI-Africa newsletter. I began putting information into a newsletter in an effort to provide information to colleagues in Africa (particularly since surfing the web can be costly in Africa). I am involved in a number of projects that aim to build SDI capacity in Africa; however, there is no project or organization that is called SDI Africa. I will send out issues as time permits. If you have news or information related to GIS, remote sensing, and spatial data infrastructure (e.g., workshop announcements, publications, reports, websites of interest, etc.), kindly send me the materials so that I can include them in the newsletter. This will ensure that issues are sent more frequently. The newsletter depends upon your continued interest and input. You are welcome to forward this message onto colleagues who may find the information useful. If you do so, please include the newsletter contact information at the bottom of this message so that others will know about the newsletter and subscribe themselves. Back issues of the newsletter are at the GSDI and GISD websites: GSDI: http://www.gsdi.org/pubs2.html#SDINEWS GISD: http://www.opengis.org/gisd/sdi_news.htm Best regards, Kate Please note: Some long URLs (internet addresses) may occupy 2 lines. In that case, copy both lines into your browser. -------------------------------------------------------------------- INPUT TO THIS ISSUE -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to Tabitha Chima and Enias Chinjekure, Department of the Surveyor General (Zimbabwe); Helena Bosman, Satellite Applications Centre, CSIR (South Africa); Mohamed Timoulali, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Ethiopia); Degelo Sendabo, Ethiopian Mapping Authority (Ethiopia); Maria Christine Hill, UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea in Asmara (Eritrea); Raynold Moyo and Bwalya Chuba, Zambian Survey Department and Zambian GIS Association (ZAGIS) (Zambia); Jaishree, University of Mauritius (Mauritius); Ndaenda (Emma) Noongo, Directorate of Environmental Affairs (Namibia); Jide Kufoniyi, RECTAS (Nigeria); Jocelyn Fenard, UNITAR (Switzerland); Walter de Vries, ITC (Netherlands); Mukund Rao, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) (India); Patrick Rampha, Ministry of Water Affairs (Botswana); Paul Currion, Humanitarian Information Centre, UN-OCHA (Liberia); Patrice Sanou, SIGET-A (Burkina Faso); Chris Ambala, African Environmental Information Network, UNEP/DEWA (Kenya); Wilber Ottichilo, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (Kenya); Diane Davies, University of Maryland and SAFNet (USA); Josef Aschbacher, CEOS, Module 2, European Space Agency (France); and Conrad Sebago, CEOS Module 1, Satellite Applications Centre/CSIR (South Africa) for their contributions to this issue of the newsletter. -------------------------------------------------------------------- SDI NEWS, LINKS, PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS - HAVE YOU READ? -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.fig.net/figtree/pub/monthly_articles/september_2003/muggenhuber_september2003.htm http://www.fig.net/figtree/pub/monthly_articles/september_2003/Gerhard_Muggenhuber_September_2003.pdf Spatial Information for Sustainable Resource Management Gerhard Muggenhuber, Chair of FIG Commission 3 - Spatial Information Management, Austria. This paper promotes the involvement of spatial information as an important contribution to decision making as an integrated process within a multidisciplinary network. http://www.csir.co.za/plsql/ptl0002/PTL0002_PGE128_NEWSLETTER?PUBLICATION_NO=1910026 Latest issue of SAC News (Satellite Applications Centre, CSIR) No. 25, September 2003 -- SDI update from Liberia http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/liberia/mapcentre/index.asp The Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) in Liberia is working on a few GIS projects. At this stage, the efforts are still basic, but they are also working with the Ministry of Planning (who had a GIS going back to 1995, but who were comprehensively looted during the war), and HIC will extend their work to other Ministries in the near future. They are trying to establish links with key government offices, among them the Liberian Cartographic Service. HIC will provide them with a complete set of maps, and HIC has offered an open invitation for LCS staff to visit the HIC offices to see how they work. HIC is now thinking about ways to support LCS effectively, taking into account that HIC has its own resource constraints. HIC is putting something together for GIS day (see http://www.gisday.com for details). They hope to help faciliate the establishment of a GIS Users' group in which government offices can participate. -- (a candid) SDI update from Botswana [Note from Kate: SDI development is a process, and advancements can ebb and flow. Botswana has hit a snag with respect to implemeting metadata development. I think many of you can relate to the issues that colleagues there are experiences. The key is to keep forging ahead. There will be breakthroughs if you keep trying]. With respect to establishment of a metadata clearinghouse service in Botswana: a) The Metadata working group is struggling hard to meet due to commitments by their daily operations. The team is composed mainly of the ministries of Agriculture, Water Affairs, and Meteorological Services. The Agriculture Team team recently has been assigned to a new project which needs to be accelerated. So, staff are finding it difficult to work on metadata, since it is not treated as a priority, and it is not directly in their work plans. b) Water Affairs suffered a devastating blow with the departure of a key person who was playing a pivotal role in creating the metadata service. c) The national GI coordinating team has not been able to make significant advances in recent months, although they did just meet a few weeks ago to address the current state of affairs. This national GI coorinding team is necessary to facilitate the hosting of the metadata service. --On the positive side: a) The metadata working group despite the slowness is collecting information on the existing data from all the critical data sources. The hope is after that after this exercise, they will have a better sense of the scope of what needs to be done. c) The Department of Surveys and Mapping is developing metadata for the Botswana National Atlas, in conjunction with GSDI and SADC RRSU's Clearinghouse efforts. b) The government is currently negotiating the Swedish team that carried out the feasiblilty study to extend its contract to help with the establishment of the working teams and Metadata service. -- SDI update from Eritrea http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/Eritrea_GeoSpatial_Users-Survey.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/Eritrea_GeoSpatial_Users_results.doc Eritrean GIS User's Group (EGSUG) established a smaller, more manageable group of 'champions' as the planning committee. Initially, there was no structure to the user group. There is now a core of 6 enthusiastic members that are fully expecting to make the upcoming meetings a success. The most recent meeting took place the 15th of October. Despite some apprehensiveness about embarking on something new, the members are eager to participate. A survey was handed out the meeting before last. See links for viewing both the questionnaire and the survey results. The meetings are helping GIS users realize they are not as isolated (technically) as they may think they are. Ideally, the planning committee will devise a strategy for providing guidance on key topics, recognizing the limited resources. There is a great deal of potential in Eritrea for geospatial applications and geographic information coordination. -- SDI update from Zambia The Zambian Survey Department (ZSD) has been making reasonable progress on creating metadata for the national topographic and thematic mapping series (analogue) and the digital topographic database national coverage compilation. They have scheduled a two-day event (10-11 October) under the auspices of Zambia Association for Geographical Information Systems (ZAGIS) that will include a one-day workshop on metadata. They plan to present the ZSD metadata activities done so far. Those who were trained through the programme E-INFORM,coordinated by USGS/EROS Data Center and SADC Regional Remote Sensing Center, have formed a working group and are organizing, also under ZAGIS, a one-day event to create awareness among 60 or more participants drawn from diverse user groups. This is part of a series of local awareness and training activities planned with regard to geo-spatial metadata. They anticipate that the planned activities will expose and stimulate practical interest in the use of metadata among different organizations in Zambia. -- SDI update from Namibia http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/NamibiaDataSharingPolicy_Oct2003.doc The 3rd Environmental Monitoring and Informnation Network workshop was held 14-15 August 2003. Participants reviewed and provided critical feedback on the draft data policy document. Details are documented in the workshop proceedings, and should be online soon at the Directorate of Environmental Affair's, Environmental Information Unit website. The workshop participants arranged themselves into three groups to critically examine the content of the specified chapters and remainder of the document, and to identify key stakeholders in further formulation of the policy, and discussed the potential institutional arrangements for the implementation of NSDI and enforcement of the policy. The great consensus was that the policy should provide guidelines for all data producers and users in the country. This is to say, it should not concern government data only, but it should be stretched to all other sectors. After the EMIN workshop, the technical NSDI committee met on 11 Sept. 2003, while a full NSDI committee met on 16 October 2003 to discuss way forward. -- SDI update from Zimbabwe http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/DSG_workshop_04-09-2003.ppt http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/standards_presentation_zimbabwe2003.ppt http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/ZimSDISwaziland_2003.ppt http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/minutes_zim-standardsworkshop_Sept03.doc Last month's issue of the newsletter, Vol 2, No 11, provided information about a standards workshop that the Surveyor General's Department organized for September 4. The links above provide access to some of the materials that were presented, plus the minutes of the workshop. -- SDI update from Mauritius http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/MauritiusInfoSysRajshree.doc The Remote Sensing Centre launched the Mauritius Natural Resources Information System (MAURIS) at Bigara, 22 September 2003. The Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources was there for the inauguration, and he summarized the some of the geospatial activities that are taking place in Mauritius: http://www.lemauricien.com/mauricien/030923/SO.HTM#7 (en francais) http://agriculture.gov.mu/speech/rsensing.htm Minister's Speech: "A preliminary analysis of the requirements of each institution and division under my Ministry in terms of information needs for the judicious planning of utilisation of resources has been completed. Subsequently, a comprehensive forest map of Mauritius has been worked out, with detailed digital maps of different forest divisions and forest type for specific areas of Mauritius. A mapping of prime agricultural land is ongoing and will be completed in the near future. A sugarcane suitability map and a food crop suitability map have been prepared to allow efficient planning of production and achieve optimal yield. Maps have also been prepared to reflect the areas under irrigation in Mauritius in both private and public owned lands, and of those areas, which require irrigation. This will assist the Irrigation Authority in planning the distribution of its resources in achieving its irrigation targets. Likewise, several informative maps have been prepared based on the needs of individual institutions to assist them in their respective mandates. The inception of the Mauritius Resources Information System software package, which is being launched today, comes to add a bonus to the strength of the National Remote Sensing Centre, and will surely contribute significantly in rendering this institution more rapid and efficient in the process of information generation. This information system will serve as a decision support package that can be used to assist in the development of alternate land use plan and land resources management plan. It is endowed with the facilities to draw different scenarios according to planning requirements of different sectors. It can also be utilised to calculate statistics of any theme for any area and for any level of information, thus playing a key role in rapid information retrieval for planning purposes." - SDI update from Nigeria http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10950-2003Sep27.html http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-09/27/article04.shtml http://www.dailytimesofnigeria.com/DailyTimes/2003/September/26/Nigerialaunches.asp Nigerian Satellite Launched on Russian Rocket (27 September 2003) The satellite project started in November 2001. The satellite was built by 15 Nigerian engineers with the technical input of the University of Surrey (Surrey Satellite Technology). The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), is handling the project with active support from its parent ministry the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology on behalf of the federal government. The Nigerian micro satellite is one of the seven micro satellites being proposed for Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The other partners in the international consortium are U.K., China, Algeria, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam. -- also from Nigeria http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/FinalNigeriaGIpolicy.pdf SDI Africa, Vol 2., No. 11, reported on the 11 Sept. 2003 meeting to finalize Nigeria's Geoinformation Policy was highlighted. See link for copy of final version of the Policy. -- update from CEOS October 2-3, 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/CEOS_newsletter_excerpt.doc http://www.ceos.org/pdfs/CEOS_NL20.pdf http://www.ceos.org/ CEOS World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Follow-up Programme - Module 1 (education, training and capacity building) http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/CEOS_workshop_prelim-agenda.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/CEOS_presentations.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/CEOS_panel-assignments.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/Ver'02-TOR_CEOS-African-Advisory-Group.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/CEOS_StellenboschOct03_outcomes.doc The CEOS WSSD Workshop on Module 1, Education, Training and Capacity Building, held at Stellenbosch, South Africa, from October 2-3, 2003, was designed to identify the key priorities of African institutions in education, training and capacity building for the improved use of remote sensing in support of sustainable development. http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/TIGER_Rabat_Plan-of-Action.doc International Workshop on Earth Observation for Integrated Water Resourcs Management in Africa, 6-8 Oct. 2003 in Rabat, Morocco (CEOS Module 2 -water resource management) The participants, including the national ministers for scientific research from Morocco and Ivory Coast, some 120 experts from national and international water resources development and management institutions, national and regional space agencies in Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the UN Development Programme, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, UNESCO as well as from scientific and research institutions met to deal with the potential contribution space technology can make to the challenges in water resources development and use on the African continent. See link for outcome of the workshop - Plan of Action - "Water and Space". -- update from SISEI Programme http://egov.unitar.org/sisei ITU and UNITAR have launched a new cycle of activities in the framework of the "Environment Information & Monitoring Systems on the Internet in Africa- SISEI" capacity development programme. It is implemented in collaboration with the ten first African countries having formally expressed their interest in participating to the programme. They are the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia (Group of English speaking countries), and Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Niger (Group of French speaking countries). Two introductory workshops were organized in September 2003 respectively in Bamako, Mali, for french-speaking African countries and in Accra, Ghana, for english-speaking African countries, each gathering participants from the 5 associated countries. Objectives of the two workshops were to introduce the SISEI concept and components, and to have countries presenting their national activities and achievement in the field of Environmental Information management. Interactive discussions allowed country representatives to share experiences, to assess and/or refine country needs regarding capacity development in relation to environmental information management. As a result, each country is committed to organize a national restitution workshop and to elaborate an institutional profile of information sharing mechanisms before the end of the year. Next important milestone is the regional workshop that will be held early 2004 gathering representatives from those ten countries to present the results of their profile. Exact date and venue will be announced later on. For more information on the SISEI programme: http://egov.unitar.org/sisei (bilingual portal) Nouveautes sur le Programme SISEI http://egov.unitar.org/sisei L'UIT et l'UNITAR ont lancé un nouveau cycle d'activités dans le cadre du programme de formation "Systèmes d'information pour le Suivi de l'Environnement sur Internet en Afrique - SISEI". Le programme est mis en oeuvre en collaboration avec les dix premiers pays africains ayant formellement exprimé leur intérêt à participer - Gambie, Ghana, Kenya, Ouganda et Zambia (groupe des pays anglophones), et Guinée, Mali, Mauritanie, Maroc et Niger (groupe des pays francophones). Deux ateliers introductifs se sont tenus en septembre 2003 respectivement à Bamako, Mali pour les pays francophones et à Accra, Ghana pour les pays anglophones, réunissant chacun des participants des 5 pays concernés. Les objectives des ateliers étaient d'introduire le concept et les composantes du programme SISEI, et d'offir aux pays une opportunité de présenter leurs activités nationales dans le domaine de la gestion de l'information environnementale. Des discussions interactives ont permis aux participants de partager leur expérience et d'évaluer leurs besoins en matière de renforcement de capacités dans le domaine. Comme suite aux ateliers, chaque pays organisera d'ici la fin de l'année un atelier national de restitution et élaborera un profil institutionnel des mécanismes d'échange d'information. La prochaine étape sera la tenue d'un atelier régional début 2004 qui rassemblera des représentants des 10 pays. A cette occasion, ils présenteront les résultats de leur profil institutionnel. Les dates et lieu de l'atelier seront annoncés ultérieurement. Pour de plus amples informations sur les activités du programme SISEI: http://egov.unitar.org/sisei (portail bilingue). http://www.infodev.org/gateway/planning2003.htm InfoDev in partnership with the Development Gateway Foundation, announced the recipients of the last round of Planning Grants for Country Gateways. These include: Benin, Cape Verde, Kenya, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, and Senegal. The Planning Grants allow organizations to prepare for eventual implementation of a Country Gateway by setting up a governance structure, building partnerships, preparing a business plan, and setting up a prototype site. For more information, visit the Call for Proposals for Country Gateway Planning Grants. -- update from AEIN http://www.unep.org/roa/aein As part of the Implementation of the Africa Environment Information Network (AEIN), a Regional workshop involving participants from the pilot AEIN countries and Africa Environment Outlook (AEO) collaborating centres (CCs) to discuss the development of the Africa GEO Data portal is scheduled for 17 & 18 November 2003, in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information about AEIN, visit the link provided. Register for the 7th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference http://www.gsdi7.org.in Feb 2-6, 2004, Bangalore, India Focus: Spatial Technologies, Applications and Policies For further information, contact Mukund Rao, Indian Space Research Organisation, mukundr@blr.vsnl.net.in -------------------------------------------------------------------- GIS TOOLS, SOFTWARE, DATA -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.itc.nl/news_events/archive/general/0010.asp Announcement: Changes in ILWIS distribution policy per 1st Jan.2004 ILWIS is turning into a scientific rather than a commercial product. With good mutual understanding, PCI Geomatics of Toronto, Canada and ITC have decided to terminate their agreement for commercial distribution of ILWIS software per 31st December 2003. As from 1st January 2004 ILWIS software will be distributed solely by ITC as shareware to all users irrespective of their relation with ITC. Since new functionalities have resulted from ITC's ongoing research program, these will be incorporated in a new release on that date as ILWIS Academic 3.2. Existing users of version 3.0/3.1 or later, both ITC and PCI customers, will be entitled to upgrade patches to version 3.2 free of charge. New users, irrespective of their relation with ITC, will be entitled to try out ILWIS software for an evaluation period of 1 (one) month free of charge and can subsequently obtain a permanent license after payment of EURO 100 (Euro one hundred). ILWIS Academic software will be released without guaranteed support services. As from 1st January 2004, ILWIS Academic 3.2 can only be obtained by downloading from ITC's website (http://www.itc.nl/ilwis/downloads) http://imgs.intergraph.com/newsroom/pressrelease.asp?id=173 Twenty-one software grants available for FIG members pursuing excellence in GIS research, education and interoperability. Intergraph Mapping and Geospatial Solutions announced a new partnership with the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) to promote the use of advanced technology in land administration and management infrastructure among surveyors and surveying organizations worldwide. Through the partnership, Intergraph will award 21 GeoMedia® grants, valued at over $8.2 million (U.S.), exclusively to FIG members. FIG is a federation of national associations with members from 100 countries and is the only international body that represents all surveying disciplines. http://www.computamaps.com/press_26-09-2003.php http://www.computamaps.com/freedata.php 26 September 2003, Cape Town, South Africa: ComputaMaps' free terrain data now incorporates data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The eleven day NASA/NIMA mission, which was carried out in February 2000 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor, collected over 12 terabytes of interferometric RADAR data covering approximately eighty percent of the Earth's surface. The 500m resolution data can be downloaded as zipped files from the map-based server, based on UTM tile locations at http://www.computamaps.com/freedata.php. To learn more about the SRTM Mission visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/index.html http://www.unep-wcmc.org/information_services/publications/handbooks.htm 1998 WCMC Handbooks on Biodiversity Information Management Vol. 1 Information and Policy Vol. 2 Information Needs Analysis Vol. 3 Information Product Design Vol. 4 Information Networks Vol. 5 Data Custodianship and Access Vol. 6 Information Management Capacity Vol. 7 Data Management Fundamentals http://www.directionsmag.com/files/index.php/download/529 (download (3500 KB)) http://www.scanex.ru/software/scanmagic/default.htm http://www.scanex.ru/software/scanmagic/default.htm (Screenshot) ScanMagic - Free software for viewing, analyzing and processing remote sensing data. ScanMagic is capable to analysis the images up to 4 GB in real time of viewing, very fast displaying images, geolocation and geocorrection, 'image-to-map' and 'image-to-image' techniques, overlaying digital maps on the image, image transformation into map projection (more than 70 cartographic projections), reprojection "on-the-fly", mosaicking, direct access to many RS, GIS and image file formats, exporting and printing. http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/windisp/windisp.htm Windisp is a public domain, easy to use software package for the display and analysis of satellite images, maps and associated databases, with an emphasis on early warning for food security. WinDisp was originally developed for the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System. Version 5.1 is now ready for testing. -------------------------------------------------------------------- GEOSPATIAL RESEARCH / APPLICATIONS / REFERENCE MATERIAL -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://allafrica.com/stories/200308270140.html http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/Electoral_Commission_GIS_Kenya-RCMRD.doc Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECL) to Increase Constituencies The East African Standard (Nairobi) Posted to the web August 27, 2003, by Ochieng' Sino, Nairobi The Electoral Commission of Kenya intends to raise the number of constituencies from the current 210 to between 250 and 255. GIS is being used to enable the commission to work more efficiently. Two African winners of the 2003 MAPublisher Map Competition http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/ 2003 Best Academic Map Individual - Jonathan Shadreck Gwaligwali, International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) for 'City of Blantyre'. The map, a topo-sheet 1:25000 of Blantyre, Malawi, is a student's final assignment produced using data from the Survey Department of Malawi. This map was last produced in 1976 by the Ordnance Survey of England. Since then the map had never been updated, so this map was produced as an updated version of that topo sheet, as part of the curriculum at ITC. Mr. Gwaligwali decided to work out a low-cost, but high quality production line for updating and producing topo-sheets. http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2003/maps/Acadindividual-Feringa.pdf pdf (4.3 MB) http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2003/maps/Acadindividual-Feringa.jpg jpg (1.1 MB) 2003 Best Map Overall and Best Thematic Map - Atlas of Namibia Team, Directorate Environment Affairs for 'Atlas of Namibia: A portrait of the land and its people', by John Mendelsohn, Alice Jarvis, Carole Roberts and Tony Robertson. The book contains over 200 maps in six chapters: introduction, physical geography, climate, plants and animals, the land, and the people. The last thematic atlas of Namibia was published 20 years ago. This new atlas is a compilation of the latest GIS, images and statistical information for the country. It was compiled and produced over three years. The data and metadata are available on the web at http://www.dea.met.gov.na/data/atlas/atlas_web.htm http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2003/maps/Namibia-Allmaps.pdf 17-page pdf (19.2 MB) http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2003/maps/Namibia-Allmaps.jpg sample jpg (845 KB) http://safnet.umd.edu/products/pdfs/events/SAFNetKruger2_synopsis.pdf Synopsis of the Fourth SAFNet Workshop -- the use of remote sensing to support fire management in southern Africa: Kruger National Park, 17 - 22 August 2003. Sponsored by USAID Africa Bureau (EMIS), START- NASA, NASA Land Cover Land Use Change, NASA Application Programs and UN Office of Outer Space Agency and in affiliation with GOFC/GOLD and Afrifirenet http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMF1MXO4HD_index_0.html Satellites will join search for source of Ebola virus A new ESA project employs satellites to predict and help combat epidemic outbreaks, as well as join the hunt for the origin of the deadly Ebola virus. >From Geo:connexion Magazine - October 2003 Issue "The European Space Agency (ESA) is employing satellites to track down the junglebased organism that hosts the deadly Ebola virus. Its Data User Element project, Epidemio, will create detailed vegetation maps of the Congo and Gabon from EO images while the International Centre for Medical Research (CIRMF) will combine the remotely-sensed data with field observations in a GIS. The hope is to spot common environmental characteristics of sites where infected animals are found or where people have acquired Ebola antibodies. EO images will also be provided to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its HealthMapper GIS software, used by public health officials in more than 70 countries. "Ultimately our system depends on ground-gathered data, but remote sensing could be a useful addition," says the WHO's Jean-Pierre Meert. "Local maps are often 30 years out of date, so we've asked for highresolution images of cities from Casablanca in Morocco to Vientiane in Laos to help us better plan medical responses such as locating urban clinics. We also hope to keep better track of nomadic peoples, so we're better placed to provide them with medical help." http://www.nacgeo.com/nacsite/press/Universal%20Address%20System%20Is%20Adopted%20in%20Somaliland.htm The Universal Address System Is Adopted in Somaliland The Universal Address System and the Natural Area Coding System are a revolutionary technology developed by NAC Geographic Products Inc. to unify addresses, postal codes, area codes, geographic coordinates and map grids in the world. The Natural Area Coding System generates standardized and highly efficient codes called Natural Area Codes (NAC) for all locations and areas in the world that can be used as geographic coordinates, Universal Addresses, Global Postal Codes, Universal Area Codes and the coordinates of Universal Map Grids in the world. A two-character NAC represents an area about 1000x700 km (like a province) anywhere in the world; a four-character NAC represents an area about 33x23 km (like a city); a six-character NAC represents an area about one square kilometer (like a street block); an eight-character NAC represents an area about 35x25 meters (like a building or house), and a ten-character NAC can specify any one square meter area in the world. An Eight or ten character NAC is called a Universal Address that can uniquely specify any building, house, door, gate, fire hydrant, tree, parking meter, electric wire pole, street light, bus stop, sewage exit, camping site, or any other fixed object in the world. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES / AWARDS / SUPPORT -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.directionsmag.com/remote.sensing.contest/ Directions Magazine, DigitalGlobe, and RADARSAT International present the First Annual Remote Sensing Contest http://www.directionsmag.com/remote.sensing.contest/dm-rsc-guidelines.pdf?RSCSID=0f551cc536cb55e6bc1f0833b5ec9ac2 Submission guidelines Anyone can enter. The contest is open to all readers of Directions Magazine and anyone wishing to submit a remotely sensed image for participation to this contest between October 1 and Oct. 20, 2003. Voting in the Remote Sensing Contest is open to visitors to Directions Magazine website between October 21 and Oct. 31, 2003. All category winners receive an Olympus 2 MP Digital Camera, plus an archived DigitalGlobe Quickbird image of your choice. http://www.start.org/links/announce_oppo/FVS_12_Announce.doc http://www.start.org/links/announce_oppo/FVS_App_Form_12.doc START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Award Program START invites applications for START fellows and visiting scientists to participate in the 12th round of the START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Program. This program is designed to increase the number of developing country scientists who serve as active partners in global change research in START regional networks and in the Joint and Core Projects of the Earth System Science Partnership (DIVERSITAS, IHDP, IGBP, and WCRP). Through this effort, these scientists will also be able to contribute to related aspects of sustainable development for their respective countries and regions. Deadline for submissions is 1 December 2003. http://www.whitley-award.org/Articles/Awards-2.html The Whitley Award for International Nature Conservation is for individuals who are leading teams involved in nature conservation, environmental education and sustainable development. Conservationists working anywhere in the world are welcome to apply, although there is a bias towards those working in their own countries and for projects based outside the first world. Preference will be given to those who commit a considerable period of their life to working in their chosen field and have established a viable operation involving team members from the host country. Applicants do not need to be qualified scientists, but candidates must be able to compile a written report to describe and quantify the success of their work with appropriate references. The application deadline for the 2004 Award is 31 October, 2003. The application materials can be downloaded or they can be emailed to you upon request by contacting Juliet McVeigh, juliet@whitleyaward.org. Grants to Institutions in the South for Joint Research Projects http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~twas/TWNSO_RG.html http://www.ictp.trieste.it/%7Etwas/TWNSO-RG.pdf (applications) The Third World Network of Scientific Organizations (TWNSO) with financial support from the OPEC Fund for International Development has established a competitive Research Grants scheme designed to encourage and support joint research projects involving 2-3 competent research and training institutions from different countries in the South. To ensure maximum benefit to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), it is required that at least one of the cooperating institutions in any proposed project should be from the LDCs. A list of these countries is available at: http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~twas/LDC.html http://www.nationalgeographic.com/conservation/ National Geographic Conservation Trust Offers Funding to Preserve Earth's Resources. The objective of the National Geographic Conservation Trust is to support conservation activities around the world as they fit within the mission of the National Geographic Society. The trust supports projects that contribute significantly to the preservation and sustainable use of the Earth's biological, cultural, and historical resources and seeks to identify cutting- edge programs that might be overlooked due to inherent risks associated with new investigators and fields. Applicants are not expected to have advanced degrees (Ph.D. or equivalent). However, they must be able to provide a record of prior research or conservation action as it pertains to the proposed project. Grant amounts vary, with most ranging between $15,000 and $20,000. The trust accepts pre-applications throughout the year, but they should be submitted at least eight months prior to anticipated field dates. See the trust's Web site for complete funding guidelines and application information. http://icte.umsl.edu/PlantConservation/ The Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowship Program in Plant Conservation. The International Center for Tropical Ecology (ICTE) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is offering fully funded fellowships to students from tropical America, Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Malesia and the Pacific Islands with strong leadership and research potential in applied plant conservation. These fellowships are available to individuals with applied plant conservation experience and strong academic credentials for studies leading to a M.S. or Ph.D. degree. Application review, for admission in the following August, will begin on December 1, 2003. Application forms can be obtained by email from iss@umsl.edu and from the ICTE's web page at http://icte.umsl.edu/Application.html. http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/idrf/ The International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship (IDRF) program provides support for social scientists and humanists conducting dissertation field research in all areas and regions of the world. Up to fifty fellowships will be awarded in the year 2004. The program supports scholarship that treats place and setting in relation to broader phenomena as well as in relation to particular historical and cultural contexts. The program is open to full-time graduate students in the humanities and social sciences - regardless of citizenship - enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States. Online registration must be submitted no later than midnight, US Eastern Standard Time, November 3, 2003. -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.fao.org/gtos/meetDAK.html GLCN land cover mapping training workshop Dakar, Senegal from 10-14 November 2003 (following AfricaGIS '03) http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/SAP/stdm/dakarinfonoteE.pdf Expert Meeting on the "Use of Available Global Landsat Data Sets for Meeting the Information Needs of NEPAD" Dakar, Senegal, 3 November 2003 (prior to AfricaGIS '03) This Expert Meeting is being organised as a Pre-Conference Meeting of the AfricaGIS '03 Conference and will bring together 30 experts representing Western African and Regional Institutions to define possible projects that take advantage of the available global data sets and also to discuss a strategy to promote the wider use of the available data. Limited funding is available to support travel expenses of experts representing institutions from Western Africa. Francophone workshop (prior to AfricaGIS '03) Un atelier sur les outils de l'information géographique est organisé par la CEA et SIE-Afrique à l'intention des Francophones le 3 novembre 2003 à Dakar, Sénégal à l'Hotel Méridien. Les débats seront focalisés sur le "SDI Afrique dans la perspective du NEPAD". Les participants sont limités à 30. Si vous êtes intéressés, prenez contact immédiatement avec les coordonnateurs: Mamadou Fofana: f_mamadou45@hotmail.com; Patrice Sanou: siget_a@liptinfor.bf, sanoup@fasonet.bf, SIE-Afrique/Eis Africa: eisafrica@csir.co.za. Liz Gavin, egavin@csir.co.za. http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/SDIworkshop_AfricaGIS03.doc SDI workshop at AfricaGIS '03 Workshop 3b&4b: Building Spatial Data Infrastructure: policy and partnerships, 05 November 2003, 14:00-17:30, organized by Kate Lance, USGS/EROS Data Center, klance@usgs.gov, and Dr. Jide Kufoniyi, RECTAS, kufoniyi@skannet.com.ng This workshop provides the opportunity for SDI champions, for example from Nigeria, Namibia, and South Africa, to present and discuss advances in policy development in support of NSDI. Questions concerning cooperation/partnership between the public and the private sectors for building NSDI will be raised, and all participants are encouraged to voice their views. The workshop presentations and panel discussions will be conducted in English. http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/ITC-UNECArefreshercourse_GDIEA.pdf ITC training in Ethiopia ITC/UNECA refresher course GDI for Eastern Africa (GDIEA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 19 October-1 November 2003. There will be some 25 participants, ITC alumni, from countries Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and Uganda. Lectures, presentations and exercises will include contributions from ITC, UNECA and the Ethiopian Mapping Authority. The GDIEA course is a follow up of the GDISA (GDI in southern Africa) course, which took place in 2002 at the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. Further info can be obtained by contacting devries@itc.nl. http://www.itc.nl/education/programme_levels/short_courses/default.asp ITC short courses in 2004 Note that there are possibillities to obtain a fellowship for these short courses from the Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP). Information on this can be obtained from the Netherlands Education Centres (NEC/NESO) or from the fellowship officer at the Netherlands Embassy. Fellowship application forms can be obtained from the NUffic website: http://www.nuffic.nl/nfp-npt/pdf/short2004.pdf For futher information, contact, Dr. T.M. Loran, loran@itc.nl http://www.swedesurvey.se/trainingprogrammes/landadministration.html http://www.swedesurvey.se/files/pdf/LandAdm_Programme_2003.pdf On-going Course at Swedesurvey Swedesurvey has welcomed foreign guests to the course 'Land Administration and Geographical Information' 25 August - 3 October, 2003. The course includes aspects of spatial data infrastructure. The 25 participants represent the following 16 countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. For information about the course and others, contact the Course Administrator: gerd.lindroos@swedesurvey.se -------------------------------------------------------------------- EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES -------------------------------------------------------------------- Professor of Spatial Hydrology and Water Resources Management, ITC http://www.itc.nl/about_itc/vacancies/0028.asp Applications should include cv and a letter elaborating the motivation for the application. Closing date: 1 December 2003. Project Director, Conkouati-Douli National Park Landscape Project Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) http://wcs.org/home/getinvolved/careers/6168/ The Wildlife Conservation Society The candidate should have a minimum of 3 years experience working in field conservation in Africa. A Master's or Ph.D. degree in a relevant field is desired. French fluency is essential. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and CV to Mrs. April Stanley, wcsafrica@wcs.org ; reference: CDNP DIR). Project Director, Nouabalé -Ndoki National Park, Congo (Brazzaville) http://wcs.org/home/getinvolved/careers/6168/ Project for Ecosystem Management of the Periphery of the Nouabalé- Ndoki National Park (WCS-PROGEPP) The candidate should have a minimum of 3 years experience working in field conservation in Africa. A Master's or Ph.D. degree in a relevant field is desired. French fluency is essential. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and CV to Mrs. April Stanley, wcsafrica@wcs.org ; reference: PROGEPP DIR). Associate Programme Officer (P-2), UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya https://jobs.un.org/release1/info/guide.asp?lang=1200 Duties: participate in the development and implementation of UNEP's policy and activities on environment and major groups and stakeholders; assist in the follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development related to civil society and the environment; liaise with stakeholders such as other UN-agencies, indigenous peoples organizations, private sector, NGOs, religious groups and other civil society actors on how to mainstream the involvement of civil society in environmental policy and how to promote regular dialogue amongst relevant partners; and work in close cooperation with UNEP Divisions to consolidate the work already initiated by UNEP in the field of civil society and the environment. Requires: first degree in social sciences or environmental sciences, or a related field; three years of relevant working experience with environmental and/or civil society issues; and fluency in oral and written English. Closing date: 15 November 2003. Vacancy #: 03-PGM-UNEP-401942-R-NAIROBI. Foundation Director, Cameroon (Limbe, Southwest Province) http://www.camcof.com The Foundation Director will be the executive head of the Cameroon Mountains Conservation Foundation (CAMCOF), which is a newly created Cameroonian Civil Society Trust Fund for Biodiversty Conservation and Poverty Alleviation. This is a new post. The early months are likely to be spent largely in establishing operating systems, building staff capacity and publicizing the work of the Foundation. Grant-giving operations will be built up gradually, over a period of time. S/he will work closely with the Board of Trustees, Donors, the Government of Cameroon and local populations. The Foundation Director shall be educated to post-graduate level in an appropriate discipline in a field such as development studies or conservation management. A strong social science background is preferred, also a minimum of ten (10) years of senior management experience in developing countries, preferably in Africa, related to Trust Fund Management, grant-giving operations or small scale finance and credit operations. Fluency in written and spoken English and French. For further details about the position and how to apply, contact the CAMCOF Chairperson, camcof@yahoo.co.uk. Closing date for applications is 31 October 2003. Technical Assistant, Dakar, Senegal (and in the local offices in the west African sub-region). Deadline for applications: 30 Oct. 2003. An African ONG specialized in information and communication looks for an confirmed expert for a mission of 9 to 12 months at a crucial moment of the NGO's development. The mission of the NGO is coaching and capacity building within a young African regional institutions in organization, in projects management, evaluation and strategic planning. The Technical Assistance will support the general coordinator of programs as well as the six coordinators of thematic and technical programs in : 1) Organization and follow-up of the current annual program; 2) Support for preparation of the of the multi annual action plan evaluation which arrives at its end; 3) Support for the strategic planning for the next 5 years ; 4) Elaboration of a new five year action plan; 5) Training and follow-up of the coordinators in elaboration of projects and management of the project cycle. Profile of Technical Assistant: - Expertise in tools and methods of projects management and programming; - Experience in projects management; - To have led a significant number of evaluations of programs and projects; - To have led programming and strategic planning exercises; - Experience in animation, training and transfer of competences; - At least 7 significant years of experience in the above quoted activities. Send CV and brief letter in support of application to the following electronic address: yhazoume@panos-ao.org Assistant Technique, Dakar, Senegal (et dans les bureaux locaux dans la sous-région). Date final: 30 October 2003 Une ONG Africaine spécialisée dans l'information et la communication cherche une expert confirmé pour une mission de 9-12 mois à un moment crucial de son développement. Le mission de la ONG est coaching et renforcement de capacités au sein d'une jeune institution régionale africaine en matière d'organisation, de gestion de projets, d'évaluation et de planification. Le Assistant Technique appuyera le coordinateur général des programmes ainsi que les six (06) coordonnateurs de programmes thématiques et techniques dans : 1) l'organisation et le suivi du programme annuel courant ; 2) l'appui à la préparation de l'évaluation du plan d'action pluri annuel qui arrive à son terme ; 3) l'appui à la planification stratégique pour les 5 prochaines années ; 4) l'élaboration d'un nouveau plan d'action quinquennal ; 5) la formation et le suivi des coordinateurs en matière d'élaboration de projets et gestion du cycle de projet Profil du Assistan Technique: - Expertise dans les outils et méthodes de gestion des projets et programmation; - Expérience avérée dans la gestion de projets ; - Avoir mené un nombre significatif d'évaluations de programmes et projets ; - Avoir réalisé des exercices de programmation et de planification stratégique ; - Expérience en animation, formation et transfert de compétence ; - Au moins 7 années d'expérience significatives dans la conduite des activités ci dessus citées. Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation à l'adresse électronique suivante: yhazoume@panos-ao.org http://www.ciir.org Information Technology Specialist, orama, Awdal Region, Somaliland 9 month contract through CIIR/ICD, Somaliland: Nov 2003 - July 2004 The postholder will be based at Amoud community-based University in Borama, which is the first institute of higher education to evolve since the end of Somaliland's period of conflict. The post offers an exciting opportunity to a resourceful and dedicated individual to assist in the development and management of information systems for the university, and offer necessary support and training to users. CIIR/ICD is looking for an innovative and creative individual able to handle the challenges inherent in a new institution in a developing country. You will have a diploma or other approved qualification in information systems and a minimum of 3 years work experience preferably in the not for profit sector. Experience in installation of LAN, including configuration and maintenance and appropriate security measures, web design and web construction using HTML and CSS, hardware maintenance, and setting up email and access to the Web are essential. You should also have experience of informal training of students/adults and of having worked in a resource-poor environment. Knowledge of different operating systems including Windows, Unix and Mackintosh based system, awareness of accessibility issues, an ability and commitment to share skills and experience and to work in a flexible way within existing resources are essential. You should also have gender awareness, cultural sensitivity, and social and political maturity. A commitment to the aims and objectives of the University and willingness to become involved in the wider life of the institution is also essential. A comprehensive remuneration and benefits package will be offered. Only completed ICD applications will be considered. Please do not send CVs only. Job description and an application form can be downloaded from the CIIR website or send an email to ricardo@ciir.org specifying the title of the post. Deadline for applications: 31 October 2003. Technical Adviser, Ngaoundere-Adamaoua province, Cameroon L' Ordonnateur National du F.E.D recrute un Conseiller Technique du Projet de mesures d'accompagnement environnementales de la route régionale Ngaoundéré Touboro Moundou - Volet Appui Institutionnel au L'objectif global du projet NTM-Environnement est de limiter les impacts négatifs sur l'environnement et la biodiversité, liés à la construction de la route Ngaoundéré-Touboro-Moundou sur le court, le moyen et le long terme. Le Volet « Appui Institutionnel au Ministère de l'Environnement et Forêts (MINEF) » mettra en place avec les structures du MINEF des Provinces de l'Adamaoua et du Nord, un système performant de lutte anti-braconnage et de protection et valorisation des écosystèmes le long de l'axe et appuiera en tant que mesures compensatoires à long terme avec le développement de l'éco-tourisme au niveau du Parc de Bouba N'Djida. Profil du candidat: Etre ressortissant (e) d'un pays signataire de la convention de Lomé IV (révisée) (Etats membres de l'Union européenne et pays de l'Afrique, Caraïbes et Pacifique); Avoir un diplôme universitaire, ou d'une grande école (BAC + 4 minimum) en foresterie, écologie ou gestion des ressources naturelles; agronomie; Justifier d'au moins 8 ans d'expérience professionnelle en suivi et/ou gestion de projets environnementaux ou de développement, dont trois ans en zone tropicale; Utiliser couramment les logiciels informatiques classiques; la pratique des outils de Système d'Information Géographique et de base de données serait un plus; Maîtriser parfaitement la langue française, et disposer d'une connaissance de travail de l'anglais. Contrat de 12 mois renouvelable max 2 fois. Pour plus information de la position, envoyés par e-mail aux trois adresses électroniques suivantes: celenvfor@gcnet.cm, celenvfor@cameroun-online.com, cellulecasrp@yahoo.fr. Date final: 10 novembre 2003. Technical Adviser, Ngaoundere-Adamaoua province, Cameroon The National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund in Cameroon searches a Technical Adviser within the framework of the Institutional Support Component of the 'Accompanying Environmental Measures of the Ngaoundere - Touboro - Moundou Regional Road Project' The objective of the NTM-Environnement Project is to reduce negative impacts on the Environnement and Biodiversity, during and after the construction of Ngaoundere-Touro-Moundou road. The Institutional Support Component will provide support to the services the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MINEF) of the Adamaoua and North Provinces with anti-poaching activities, with the development of protection and valorisation of ecosystems strategies along the road and will, as compensatory measures for the long term, support the development of ecotourism structures in the Bouba N' Djida's National Park. The candidate should be a national from one of the member countries of the Lomé Convention (European Union member states and Countries of Africa, the Caribbean region and the Pacific); be a holder of a University Degree, or higher Institute in, Forestry, Ecology or Management of Natural Resources, Agronomy (Masters or equivalent); have at least 8 years of professional experience in the supervision and/or management of environmental and/or development projects, including at least three years of project experience in a tropical zone; be familiar with up to date computer software packages, knowledge of geographic information and data base management systems is an advantage; fluent speaking and writing of the French language, and a working knowledge of English. For further information about the position and information on how to apply, contact any of the three addresses: celenvfor@gcnet.cm, celenvfor@cameroun-online.com, cellulecasrp@yahoo.fr. Deadline for applications: November 10, 2003. Intern, African Region, Ramsar Bureau, Gland, Switzerland http://ramsar.org/about_internships.htm The Ramsar Bureau welcomes applications for the position of Intern for the African Region / Assistant to the Regional Coordinator for Africa, a 12-month posting (possibly extendable to 18 months) in the Ramsar Bureau in Switzerland to begin 23 February 2004. With an age limit for applicants of 30 years old, the post offers an opportunity for young graduates to become acquainted with the workings of an intergovernmental treaty dealing with the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Candidates for this internship should be nationals of countries in Africa and have lived most of their lives in the region. Full ability to work in English and French is required for this post. Prospective candidates should view the General Terms of Reference for Ramsar internships which includes conditions of service and salary structure. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2003. Note: Candidates have to be nationals of an African country and have lived most of their lives in Africa. -------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER -------------------------------------------------------------------- October 16-18, 2003, Genova, Italy http://www.gisig.it/coastgis/home.htm Fifth International Symposium on GIS and Computer Cartography for Coastal Zone Management. CoastGIS is a collaborative initiative of the International Geographical Union's Commission on Coastal Systems and the International Cartographic Association's Commission on Marine Cartography. October 17-22, 2003, Cairo, Egypt http://www.isocarp.org http://www.isocarp.org/pub/events/congress/2003/main.htm The 39th International Planning Congress Organized by: International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCaRP). Email: secretariat@isocarp.org October 19-25, 2003, Durban, South Africa http://www.wrc2003.com XXIInd PIARC World Road Congress Le XXIIe congrès mondiale de la route de l'AIPCR (Association Mondiale de la Route). The delegates will encompass a broad spectrum of key decision-makers in the road transport sector. October 19-31, 2003, Bonn, Germany 6th Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification. Contact: CCD Secretariat: Tel 49-228-815 2800; Fax 49-228-815 2898/99; secretariat@unccd.int; http://www.unccd.int October 22-24, 2003, Nairobi, Kenya http://www.ungiwg.org Fourth Plenary Meeting of the United Nations Geographic Information Working Group (UNGIWG). This meeting will be hosted by UNEP. October 23-30, 2003, Yaounde, Cameroon 18th Session of the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics (AFCAS) October 23-24, 2003, Trieste, Italy http://www.ejds.org/meeting2003 Developing Countries Access to Scientific Knowledge "Quantifying the Digital Divide" is an open round table on the dissemination of science and the transfer of knowledge and (open source) technology towards developing countries. The goal is to bring together all interested parties to analyze, share experiences, promote ideas and discuss better understanding and quantifying the digital divide, concrete strategic alternatives, innovative technological tools and e-contents licensing issues to support scientists working in remote areas and having low-bandwidth, or expensive access to on-line database services and the Internet. Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics. October 27-29, 2003, Cape Town, South Africa http://www.nrf.ac.za/saeon/globalchange/saglobal.htm http://www.nrf.ac.za/saeon/globalchange/announcement.htm Global Change and Regional Sustainability in South Africa Symposium The South African Scientific Committee on Global Change (SASCGC) announces a national symposium on the implications of important drivers of global change for national and regional sustainability of human and ecological systems in South Africa. The SASCGC is a national committee of the International Science Union (ICSU), functioning under the auspices of the National Research Foundation. Complete the registration form in full and submit to e-mail before 29 August if you wish to attend. October 27-30, 2003, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/UNESCOSouthAfricaAgendaProv-2.doc Provisional Agenda - Stakeholders and Resources Mobilisation towards Implementation of the Regional Ocean Observing and Forecasting Systems for Africa (ROOFS-AFRICA). In partnership with the South African Weather Service and under the Auspices of the Steering Committee of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) November 2-6 2003, Nairobi, Kenya Baseline Conference - CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food http://www.waterforfood.org/firstAnno.asp http://www.waterforfood.org/pdf/CP%20Electronic%20Brochure.pdf A forum for interaction between development professionals and scientists. November 2-22, 2003, E-Conference http://www.ruaf.org/events/2003/11global.html Optimising Agricultural Land Use in the City Area. The objectives of this electronic conference are to share and discuss local experiences on: Alternative strategies to improve access of the urban poor to land within the city boundaries for food production; and the development and enforcement of municipal by laws, norms and regulations on access to land for urban agriculture. November 3, 2003, Dakar, Senegal Expert Meeting on the "Use of Available Global Landsat Data Sets for Meeting the Information Needs of NEPAD". The Expert Meeting is being organised as a Pre-Conference Meeting of the AfricaGIS '03 Conference. This meeting will bring together 30 experts representing Western African and Regional Institutions to define possible projects that take advantage of the available global data sets and also to discuss a strategy to promote the wider use of the available data. If your institution is interested in getting involved and participating in this Pre-Conference Expert Meeting, email David Stevens asap, david.stevens@unvienna.org. November 3-6, 2003, Nairobi, Kenya Workshop on World Lake Basin Management for Africa Contact: Eric Odada, eodada@uonbi.ac.ke November 4-8, 2003, Dakar, Senegal http://213.154.74.37/agis2003/default.htm (announcement in French) http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/First_announcement_def.pdf AfricaGIS '03. Check EIS-AFRICA website for more details as they become available. http://www.eis-africa.org. The main theme for AfricaGIS '03 is 'Meeting the Information Needs for the NEPAD'. Le thème principal retenu pour GIS Afrique '03 est 'vers une satisfaction des besoins informationnels du NEPAD' November 3-7, 2003, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.sastat.org.za/ties2003.htm http://www.cmis.csiro.au/ties2003/ 13th International Conference on Quantitative Methods for the Environmental Sciences. [The conference originally was meant to be held from 21-24 August 2003 at the Friendship Hotel in Beijing, China. Unfortunately, due to the SARS virus, many institutions and companies are refusing to let their staff travel to China. The conference has thus been moved to South Africa, and will be held as a parallel conference to the 50th Anniversary conference of the South African Statistical Association (SASA). Major Theme: Quantifying how our environment affects us * DATE CHANGE * GDIN Conference has been postponed to March 26-29, 2004! It had been scheduled for November 4-7, 2003. See below. November 10-14, 2003, Honolulu, HI, USA http://isrse.pdc.org/ 30th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment November 19, 2003 - GIS Day http://www.gisday.com Visit the website for ideas on organizing an event in your country. GIS Day 2003 CDs Register your GIS Day event to receive a copy of the GIS Day 2003 CD. The CD will be mailed to you and includes a variety of materials, including PowerPoint presentations, logos, sample agendas, banners, and grade-specific activities for students, to help you plan a successful GIS Day event. All the materials on the CD are also downloadable from the GIS Day web site. http://gis.esri.com/gisday/detail.cfm?id=5753 For example: Kenya: RCMRD, Demonstration, Open House, Moi University, MTL Library, Conference Hall, Eldoret, November 19th 2003, from 8.00am to 5.00p.m, Event description: "GIS The root to Sucessful Environemental Management and Planning" http://gis.esri.com/gisday/detail.cfm?id=5692 Kenya Sea Turtle Conservation Committee, 19th November 2003, Mombasa, Event Description: Demostrate the use of GIS in coastal resources management http://gis.esri.com/gisday/detail.cfm?id=5756 Southern Africa Humanitarian Information Management Network (SAHIMS), Wednesday 19 Novemmber 2003, Johannesburg, Presentation of mapping and data visualization activities that help understand crucial development and social vulnerability trends in the southern Africa Region. http://gis.esri.com/gisday/detail.cfm?id=5740 Zimbabwe, Africa Resources Trust, Nov. 19, Gweru. Event Description: workshop to discuss and demonsrate the potential of gis in development in Zimbabwe. Attendance will include students from Midlands State University in Gweru, Zimbabwe as well as captains of industry. November 26-28, 2003, Abuja, Nigeria http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/AGA_Reg_Form.doc http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/AGA_GSoN_Brochure.doc Geoinformation Society of Nigeria, First Annual General Assembly and Conference (GEOSON Abuja 2003). Venue: NUC Auditorium Theme: Application of Geoinformation to the Development and Management of Nigeria's Resources. Contact: Olubodun Ayeni, ooayeni@yahoo.com December 1-2, 2003, Port Elizabeth Technikon, Saasveld Campus, SA http://tutor.petech.ac.za/unigis/Postgrad/UNIGIS.htm UNIGIS Conference 2003: GIS: A Tool for Sustainable Development Contact: ann@petech.ac.za December 1-4, 2003, Bamako, Mali http://www.syngentafoundation.com/pdf/syngenta_foundation_sahel_symposium_dec_2003.pdf Agriculture Durable en Zone Sahélienne. Leçons et Opportunités Sustainable Agriculture in the Sahel. Lessons and Opportunities for Action. The goal of the Sahel Agricultural Symposium is to review current research, examine access of rural populations to that research outcome, and to evaluate the relevance of new innovative technologies for Sahelian agriculture. The symposium will build a trans-Sahel conversation among researchers and civil society on issues at common interest. December 2-5, 2003, Marrakech, Morocco http://www.fig.net/figtree/morocco/ Urban-Rural Interrelationship for Sustainable Development Monde urbain et rural pour un environment durable 2nd FIG Regional Conference for the Arab Countries and Francophone Africa, 10th Anniversary of ONIGT, and 3rd National Surveying Day. Organised by FIG, Ordre National des Ingenieurs Geometres - Topographes ONIGT. Co-sponsored by FIG Commissions 2, 3 and 5. Contact: FIG Office, email: fig@fig.net The conference will be held in English, French and Arabic. Early bird registration fee is 250 euros and the early bird rates are available until 30 September 2003. December 2-6, 2003, Yaounde, Cameroon http://www.pdm-net.org/africites/fr/inscription/form2003Ang.pdf AFRICITIES 2003: 'Ensuring the access to basic services in African Local Governments'. Contact: Mr Souleymane Maiga (PDM), smaiga@pdm-net.org December 2-10, 2003, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria http://www.uni-bayreuth.de/afrikanistik/mega-tchad/ http://www.uni-bayreuth.de/afrikanistik/mega-tchad/nouvelles/dernieres_nouvelles/colloque.pdf Mega Chad Conference 2003 "Man and the Lake" Contact: gilliam22002@yahoo.co.uk, mega.tchad@mae.u-paris10.fr December 4-5, 2003, Lyon, France http://www.cities-lyon.org/ World Summit of Cities and Local Authorities on the Information Society. The aim of this meeting is to facilitate taking into account the specific perspectives of cities and regions by the World Summit of heads of state and government. It will also highlight and make known the initiatives taken by cities and local authorities as well as those of the private sector and civil society. December 4-6, 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia START Pan-Africa Regional Committee Meeting Contact: Eric Odada, eodada@uonbi.ac.ke December 8-10, 2003, Geneva, Switzerland http://www.irfd.org/events/wf2003/intro2.html Digital Divide, Global Development and Information Society A Conference in Conjunction with the United Nations World Summit on Information Society. The IRFD, within its framework of consultative status granted by the ECOSOC of the United Nations, will host a series of events to contribute to the preparatory process and the World Summit on Information Society. The focus of this conference, to be held immediately prior to the World Summit on Information Society, is on critical issues and considerations in the context of information technological revolution, global transformation, and marginalization. Inter and intra regional disparities will be examined in terms of information infrastructure and dissemination, knowledge generation and management. The principal purpose will be to examine the relationship between ICT and development (scientific, economic, social, political, and cultural) issues and concerns at local, national, regional and global levels. December 8-12, 2003, Tunis, Tunisia http://www.uaps.org/cap2003/cap2003eng/indexcap2003en.htm http://www.uaps.org/cap2003/cap2003eng/appelcom.htm (call for presentations) http://www.cap2003tunisie.com/Publish/Uaps_eng.asp?IDArticle=63 The Fourth African Population Conference For more information: Mister Mbaye Diouf Ndiaye, cap2003@uaps.org Sub-themes (informal sessions) 1. Community Approaches And Implementing Population Policies(APAC) 2. NGO Partnership In Reproductive Health And Poverty(CEFA) 3. Methods Of Quality Data Collection And Analysis(CERPOD) 4. Governance, Civil Society And Poverty(UNDP) 5. Governance And HIV/AIDS(IDRC/RARS) 6. Geographic Information System From EDS Data(MACRO Internatinal) 7. Access And Use Of Data(MACRO International) December 8-13, 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.uneca.org/awich/panafricanwater/ AMCOW/UN: Water Africa/Pan Africa Implementation and Partnersip Conference on Water. December 10-12, 2003, Geneva, Switzerland http://www.itu.int/wsis/ World Summit on the Information Society, First Phase December 10-15, 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.wateryear2003.org/fr/ev.php@URL_ID=4659&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html Pan-African Implementation and Partnershop Conference on Water December 15-17, 2003, Lisbon, Portugal http://www.erpanet.org/php/Lisbon/workshop.htm ERPANET/CODATA International Archiving Workshop on the Selection, Appraisal, and Retention of Digital Scientific Data January 12-16, 2004, Capetown, South Africa http://idlelo.uwc.ac.za Idlelo - The First African Conference on the Digital Commons Organized by the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA), the African Virtual Open Initiatives and Resources (AVOIR) project at the University of the Western Cape and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) If you are working on an open source project, you are encouraged to register your project at http://www.fossfa.org/database/ The conference will address the challenges and opportunities of the creation and use of free / open source software and open content and their development potential for Africa. For additional information, contact: Bildad Kagai, Coordinator, Free Software and open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) Email: fossfa@fossfa.org Feb 2-6, 2004, Bangalore, India http://www.gsdi7.org.in/ 7th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Focus: Spatial Technologies, Applications and Policies Revised deadline for submitting abstracts Oct. 31, 2003. February 9-11, 2004, Marrakech, Morocco http://enaweb.enameknes.ac.ma/~8imsmtc/ Soil Information: a basis for better land management and prevention of desertification in the mediterranean environment February 26-28, 2004, Tours, France http://www.maptrade.org/index.cfm?sectn=events&men=13&id=Forthcoming %5Fevents%2Ecfm&event=25 International Map Trade Association, imta@maptrade.org IMTA Global Conference and Trade Show Facing the Future - A Mapping Challenge For more information, please contact Mike Cranidge, Executive Director IMTA (EAME) (imtaeurope@btinternet.com) March 2004 http://www.eurisy.asso.fr/ Symposium on Remote Sensing and Public Health Based on the French project RED GEMS (Re-Emergent Diseases Global Environment Monitoring form Space) it will be an in-depth concentration on tele-medicine and tele-epidiomology. March 1-4, 2004, Berne, Switzerland IGS Symposium & Technical Workshop 2004 Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the International GPS Service The Symposium will recognize the unique history of the IGS as well as looking towards the future and what is on the horizon for an international GNSS services in the next decade. The Technical Workshop Series will focus in detail on many critical issues, analysis results, network/communication aspects, data systems, and the various applications addressed by the Projects, Working Groups, and Coordinators of the IGS. March 4-5, 2004, Accra International Conference Center, Ghana http://www.cddc.vt.edu/knownet/accra-it-conference.html The 3rd International Conference on Information Technology and Economic Development. The three-day conference will explore how information and communications technologies may be employed to promote economic development. The 4 tracks will be Harnessing ICT for Development, National Strategies for ICT Policy Development, Africa and ICT Market Development and ICT for National, Regional and International Networking for Development. March 16-19, 2004, Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi http://www.aitecafrica.com The Kenya National ICT Convention incorporating The African e-Commerce Forum (regional) and ea.telecom: The East African Telecommunications & Broadcasting Exhibition & Conference (regional) Organised by AITEC under the auspices of the ICT Board of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance The Kenya National ICT Convention will be the culmination of a series of national sector-focused ICT conferences convened by the National ICT Board to drive forward effective ICT applications and solutions to underpin Kenya's economic transformation into an electronically empowered economy competing effectively in the world economy and providing increased employment opportunities for its citizens. -- CALL FOR PAPERS Proposals are invited for conference presentations and workshops at the Convention. A brief outline with details of the speaker should be sent to: For the e-Commerce Forum: Jonathan Campaigne, National ICT Board jfc@prideafrica.com For ea.telecom: Muriuki Mureithi, Summit Strategies summit@africaonline.co.ke For other sections of the Convention programme: Sean Moroney, AITEC (sean@aitecafrica.com) March 17- 20, 2004 in Alexandria, Egypt http://www.millenniumassessment.org/2/about.meetings.bridging.aspx Bridging Scales and Epistemologies Conference: Linking Local Knowledge and Global Science in Multi-Scale Assessments March 26-29, 2004, Washington, DC http://gsdi.org/SDIA/gdinfinal.pdf http://www.gdin.org GDIN2004. Sixth Conference of the Global Disaster Information Network. Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN) is an organization that is dedicated to improving the flow of information before and during natural disasters. Conference themes include: emergency telecommunications, disaster manager needs, the UN International Strategy on Disaster Reduction, information management (including homeland security), urban search and rescue, and many more. Contact: gdin2003@hotmail.com [the GDIN Secretariat is pleased to announce that the Government of South Africa has offered to host the 7th GDIN Conference]. April 1-3, 2004, Kampala, Uganda http://www.ifpri.org/2020AfricaConference/index.htm Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020 Organized by 2020 Vision Initiative of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, DC. Contact Rajul Pandya-Lorch, Head, 2020 Vision Initiative, r.pandya-lorch@cgiar.org. April 20-29, 2004, New York, NY, USA http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn.htm http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/englishUNGEGN.pdf http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/frenchUNGEGN.pdf (francais) The Twenty-second Session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) May/June 2004, Cape Town, South Africa (dates to be determined) http://www.afrea.org/content/index.cfm?navID=18&itemID=206 Third African Evaluation Association (AfrEA) Conference The theme of the conference is proposed to be Evaluation for Effective Development in Africa May 10-12, 2004,Johor, Malaysia http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/gisdeco7_Malaysia_May2004.doc http://www.fab.utm.my/gisdeco2004 7th Conference on GIS and Developing Countries: GISDECO 2004, on GIS Capacity Building and Infrastructure. Proposals for papers and posters dealing with the following topics should be sent to the GISDECO Secretariat by November 30, 2003. GISDECO Secretariat: Email :b-haris@utm.my. General information on GISDECO or details of past events please see: http://www.itc.nl/gisdeco/ or email Richard Sliuzas, GISDECO Int'l coordinator at GISDECO@itc.nl. June 2-7, 2004, Orleans, France http://www.gsdi.org/SDIA/1st_Circular-CAG20.doc http://cag20.brgm.fr 20th Colloquium of Africa Geology - First circular 20eme Colloque de Geologie Afrique - Cirulaire premiere Symposia topics include: Geodynamics of Africa; Earth Resources and Sustainable Development of Africa; Geohazards, Environmental management, Paleoclimatology and Human Evolution in Africa; and Geoscience Education in Africa. There will also be workshops: 1) The future role of African Geological and Mining Surveys, 2) Earth resources, sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Africa, 3) Geoscientific Maps of Africa including Tectonic map of Africa (CGMW), and 4) Initiative for integrated research projects in Africa (CNRS-INSU, Univ., IRD, IFREMER, BRGM, etc.). June 7-9, 2004, Gavle, Sweden http://www.hig.se/geoinformatics/ Geoinformatics 2004: Geospatial Information Research: Bridging the Pacific and Atlantic, 12th International Conference on Geomatics. Deadline for Abstracts: 01 December 2003. July 12-16, 2004, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.wits.ac.za/geoscienceafrica/ GEOSCIENCE AFRICA 2004 The conference will embrace several parallel symposia catering for different areas of specialization, including economic geology, palaeontology, tectonics, geophysics, sedimentology, geohydrology, geological education and geomorphology, together forming the Geoscientific Forum. University of the Witwatersrand July 12-23, 2004, Istanbul, Turkey http://www.isprs2004-istanbul.com Geo-Imagery: Bridging Continents International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing oaltan@srv.ins.itu.edu.tr The organizing committee is providing a limited number of grants and fellowships to deserving attendees from developing countries. August 9-13, 2004, San Diego, California, USA http://www.esri.com/events/uc/index.html http://www.esri.com/events/uc/dates.html ESRI International User Conference September 2004, Maputo, Mozambique Southern Africa Geonames Meeting. Contact: dinageca@teledata.mz http://www.dinageca.gov.mz September 15-17, 2004, Agro-Montpellier, France http://www.itc.nl/personal/hengl/PM/WEB/DSM_Workshop_2004.htm Global Workshop on Digital Soil Mapping The Workshop (GW-DSM) aims to discuss and further develop new rapid and economic methods for digitally mapping soil classes and attributes (and their uncertainties) particularly at resolutions of 20 metres to 500 metres. The Workshop should be of interest to all those concerned in the future of soil resource assessment. For expressions of interest, and more details, please contact Phlippe Lagacherie, lagacherie@ensam.inra.fr. October 18-21, 2004, Nairobi, Kenya http://www.gsdi.org/docs/SDIA/The5thAARSEConference-1stAnnouncement1.1.doc 5th African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) Conference. Jointly hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), Ministries of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife and of Lands and Settlement in Kenya, and UNESCO/UNEP Office, Nairobi. The theme of the 5th AARSE Conference is "The Role of Geo-Information Technologies (GIT) in the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)". Contact: rcmrd@rcmrd.org or ottichilo@rcmrd.org October 20-24, 2004, Udine, Italy http://www.dpvta.uniud.it/~agroenv http://www.dpvta.uniud.it/~agroenv/docs/brochdraft1.ppt Agro Environ 2004: Role of Multi-purpose Agriculture in Sustaining Global Environment The Symposium covers a wide range of topics addressing key environmental and agricultural issues through applying new technologies that aim at sustaining agricultural systems, monitoring environment and conserving natural resources. Participants are invited to submit papers, coherent with the above said objectives and topics, that will be published in the proceedings. Submit a 250-word summary (no figures or references) by November 30, 2003 to the e-mail address: agroenv@uniud.it. November 8-10, 2004, Berlin, Germany http://www.codata.org/04conf/index.html 19th CODATA International Conference (Committee on Data for Science and Technology) -------------------------------------------------------------------- You are welcome to forward this message onto colleagues who may find the information useful. If you do so, please include the newsletter contact information at the bottom of this message so that others will know about the newsletter and subscribe themselves. If you have news or information related to GIS, remote sensing, and spatial data infrastructure (e.g., workshop announcements, publications, reports, websites of interest) kindly send me the materials so that I can include it in the newsletter. This newsletter depends upon your continued interest and input. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Kate Lance EROS Data Center/International Program Address: Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Secretariat USGS 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Mail Stop 590 Reston, VA 20192 Email: klance@usgs.gov Tel: 703-648-4564 Fax. 703-648-5755 Website: http://edcintl.cr.usgs.gov/ http://www.gsdi.org/