Background and justification

1. The Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa (UN‑GGIM: Africa) brings together African Member States to harness the transformative potential of geospatial information for sustainable development.
2. Over the years, the Committee has made significant progress in establishing frameworks, policies, and institutional mechanisms that support the development of geospatial information systems across the continent. These efforts have strengthened coordination within the African geospatial ecosystem and contributed to global geospatial initiatives
3. Geospatial information is increasingly recognized as a critical resource for decision-makers, policymakers, and communities. UN GGIM: Africa continues to promote:

• • Spatial literacy and awareness
  • Interoperable and authoritative data systems
  • Innovation through partnerships and emerging technologies
  • Data-driven policies for national and regional development

1. Over the past decade, Africa has made notable progress in geospatial information management, demonstrating growing capacity and strategic engagement. The theme of the twelfth meeting, “Seeing Africa Clearly: Unleashing Africa’s Spatial Intelligence for Integrated, Trusted and Actionable Data”, reflects this evolution and the need to further strengthen the role of geospatial information in decision-making.
2. Building on the outcomes of the eleventh meeting (Accra, 2025), which highlighted the importance of integration, sustainability, and institutional strengthening, the twelfth meeting aims to accelerate progress and enhance the contribution of geospatial information to Africa’s development priorities.
3. This meeting represents a critical opportunity to:

• • Strengthen collaboration between geospatial and statistical communities
  • Promote innovation and adoption of emerging technologies
  • Enhance policy coherence and institutional coordination
  • Advance sustainable financing mechanisms

Objectives

1. The overall objective is to promote the integration of geospatial information into national and regional development agendas.
2. Specifically, the meeting aims to:

• • Review progress on previous decisions and recommendations
  • Strengthen collaboration among Member States and stakeholders
  • Share knowledge, best practices, and innovations
  • Promote the adoption of integrated geospatial frameworks
  • Enhance the use of geospatial information in policy and decision-making
  • The meeting will also provide a platform to showcase achievements and reinforce collective efforts toward a coherent and transformative African geospatial ecosystem.

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