UN-SPIDER Support Activities

13 January 2010, 2:37pm

Technical Advisory Mission conducted in Fiji

Upon request from the Government of Fiji, UN-SPIDER conducted a TAM in parallel with the Pacific Islands GIS and Remote Sensing conference in Suva, Fiji, from 1 to 4 December. Meetings were conducted with the Permanent Secretary for Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, officials of the National Disaster Management Office and experts from the Land Department, Mineral Resources Department (Seismology Section), Hydrology Department, SOPAC (Secretariat of Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission), UNDP, UN-OCHA and PDC. These meetings provided insight into the availability of capacity within the Government of Fiji to use space-based information for disaster management and understanding of the gaps that need to be strengthened. Fiji was hit by tropical cyclone "Mick" (TC Mick) on 13 December. The links developed by UN-SPIDER during this mission helped Fiji to activate opportunities to access satellite images and cover areas affected by TC Mick.

Technical Advisory Mission conducted in Samoa

Back-to-back with the mission in Fiji, a TAM was also organized in Samoa from 7 to 11 December. The mission team, which was joined by an expert from SOPAC (Secretariat of Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission), evaluated the availability of space-based information and international support during tsunami response. Necessary information was gathered during discussions with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (National Disaster Management Office, Mapping Section, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Worldbank consultants etc.), the Meteorology Department, United Nations Offices [United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)] and regional organizations such as Conservation International, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). Reports emerging from this mission, containing an evaluation of international support to provide space-based information during tsunami response and recommendations about spatial data infrastructure, capacity building and opportunities to access space based information, will be made available to relevant organizations in Samoa. Contact person: Mr. Shirish Ravan (shirish.ravan@unoosa.org)

Fifth UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office established in Algeria

The third African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development opened on 7 December 2009 in Algiers with a signing ceremony between the Algerian Space Agency and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs to establish a UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office (RSO). The head of UNOOSA’s delegation, Niklas Hedman, told conference participants that “today a large number of global and regional mechanisms and initiatives exist to support Member States in implementing the use of space tools and solutions.” With regard to UN-SPIDER’s work in forming a network of RSOs in Africa, he noted that “UN-SPIDER already has a productive working relationship with the Algerian Space Agency”, the most recent example of which was the provision of expert services by the Agency for a UN-SPIDER Technical Advisory Mission to Burkina Faso. UN-SPIDER is looking forward to deepening its relationships with the Algerian Space Agency based on this new agreement.
For further information visit the links below.

UN-SPIDER Newsletter archive

Algerian Space Agency

UN Information Service

Geo: International