UN-GGIM: Europe is one year old

The 2^nd Plenary of UN-GGIM: Europe was held on the 7^th October 2015 in Belgrade hosted by the Republic Geodetic Authority, Serbia. Bengt Kjellson, Chair of the Executive Committee of UN-GGIM: Europe, welcomed 110 delegates from 34 Member states and 9 observer organisations to the event.

Ms Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano, UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia gave the welcome address, stressing the growing importance of geospatial information giving the flooding in Serbia as an example where the sharing and use of location data is vital. While Dr Linus Bengtsson, Executive Director of not-for-proft Flowminder, gave a keynote address illustrating how anonymous mobile operator data can be used in disaster response.

Celebrating the first anniversary of UN-GGIM: Europe, this meeting focused on an active first year since the inauguration of the regional committee in 2014. Reports highlighting the activities and accomplishments of the Executive Committee, the Regional Secretariat and Working Groups A & B were presented. Focusing on new topics emerging from the 5^thSession of the Committee of Experts on UN-GGIM presentations on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, geospatial information for land administration and management, the global geodetic reference frame, and determination of global geospatial fundamental data Themes were given.

The proposed work plan for UN-GGIM: Europe for 2015 – 2018 was presented and approved.

Presentations and papers for the 2^nd Plenary of UN-GGIM: Europe can be found here.