News in 2024

FIG President and FIG Community- Engaging at the 14th Session of the UN Committee of Experts on Geospatial Information Management (UN GGIM)

7-9 August 2024, New York

FIG President Diane Dumashie participated in the 14th session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Geospatial Information Management (UN GGIM), held from 7 to 9 August 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.  The annual meeting of the Bureau of the Committee of Experts was attended by circa 75 Member States.

The purpose of the annual meeting is to ensure multistakeholder discussions on the fundamental relevance of global geospatial information management, aimed at fostering open and comprehensive dialogue among member states and between member states and relevant international organisation not only in the UN system but importantly with recognised NGO’s, such as FIG, the academia and private sector stakeholders. Over 330 representatives, delegates and observers attended the session.

UN- GGIM 75+ Members States

The work of UNGGIM secretariat and the body of members is undertaken throughout the year.   Many of the Member states are also members of the FIG community, pictured below country representatives from Tonga and Nigeria.  And in particular FIG community members are impactful in the range of UN-GGIM Sub committees, Regions and in Networks, working to champion and implement the work plan.  Several of FIG champions attended during the weeklong activities.

Lleft to right: Mickael Lilje, Celine Rozenblat (GeoSoc Chair), Ryan Keenan, Diane Dumashie, Dan Roman, Rosario Casanova, Zaffar Mohamed-Ghouse

The five-day meeting featured two days of pre-events followed by three days of formal meetings.

Committee of Experts Formal Meeting

The 14th session spanned three days, focussing on a comprehensive agenda.  Key highlights included discussions on strengthening the UN-GGIM secretariat in New York to increase support to member states in achieving the goals of the UN-GGIM Additionally, this session marked the final annual meeting for Mr Teo Chee Hai (Honorary FIG President), as his term of office concludes he has over a number of years been a key member of the UN-GGIM secretariat.

Mr Teo Chee Hai, UN-GGIM Secretariat

Over the course of the session, fourteen substantive agenda items were deliberated with participation from Member States.  Often their statements are or interest to the FIG agenda (see Tonga footnote).  NGO observers, including FIG are given opportunities to contribute, if time allows.  FIG President D Dumashie, along with Dr. Keenan, Chair of FIG Commission 5,and member of Sub Committee on Geodesy, contributed brief statements on specific agenda items:

  • 3 Enhancing global geospatial information management arrangements
  • 7 Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF)
  • 8 Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF)
  • 10 Geospatial Information for Climate and resilience
  • 12 Effective Land Administration and Management (FELA)
  • 15 Implementation and adoption of standards for the global geospatial information community

These interventions are important aiming to provide insightful contributions to the Committee’s work.   Special thanks are given to contributions from chairs who provided content for FIG statements, including: Ryan Keenan, Paula Dijkstra, Eva-Maria Unger, Clarissa Augustina, Roshni Sharma, David Martin, Shirley Tendai. Along with thanks to all the hard work undertaken by FIG commissions, individuals and FIG RCD networks chairs operating in the Asia Pacific, Americas and African regions.

As a member of the UN GGIM Geospatial Societies Network, FIG, as appropriate, strives for a combined approach in its interventions, on one occasion this included FIG joint commission working with ISPRS.


Tonga team member Viliami Tani Ma'ake Folau Deputy CEO Min of Lands & Natural Resources

Nigeria OSGOF delegation; Surv. Azeez Afeez Olaniyi, President Diane A Dumashie, Adebomehin A Adeyemi (Surveyor General), Surv. Adedayo Adeniyi Adesope

Member and stakeholder Pre-events

The two day pre-events focus is on discussions and to delve deeper into the potential for knowledge transfer related to the wider agenda.  President D Dumashie FIG participated in the sessions on :

  •  UN- GGIM Thematic networks side event “Geospatial, Data Analytics and GeoAI; Accelerating the SDG’s and Impacting National priorities” - supporting the GeoSoc representative Celine Rozenblat
  • Geospatial Data for Sustainable Development and Resilience- Climate and Resilience discussion to be continued at the HLF Mexico
  • Authoritative Data and the evolving geospatial landscape- Discussion on the Integration of Terrestrial, Maritime and Cadastral Domains through the lens of UN-IGIF

Pre event: Left  Climate and Resilience Working Group; Right Authoritative Data

Next meetings

The next annual session will take place in New York August 2025.  Meanwhile the Seventh High Level Forum to advance the UNGGIM agenda will be hosted by the Government of Mexico and held in Mexico October 8-10th, 2024.  The  theme ” Accelerating Implementation; Achieving Resilience” will be discussed.  And alongside the eleventh plenary meeting of UN GGIM Regional Committee for the Americas.  FIG members will be active participants in Mexico.

More information about UNGGIM can be found here 

UNSD — UN-GGIM

FIG President Diane Dumashie RICS 
September 2024