UN Experts Commend Leading Saudi Role in Implementing IGIF, Enhancing Impact

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), this month organized seminars and conducted workshops on the geospatial law and the UN Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF). The sessions were presented by international experts who are members of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Management (UN-GGIM) and specialists in the global geospatial data infrastructure.

 The presentations covered various topics affecting the collection, use, storage, and dissemination of geospatial information within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as a range of legal issues, including location privacy, legal liability, and related matters.

 Kevin Pomfret, a member of the UN-GGIM, emphasized that the second strategic pathway of the UN-IGIF provides a useful tool to identify gaps in current laws and policies that support data integration and exchange.

 He noted that Saudi Arabia has become a global leader in implementing and enhancing the value of the integrated geospatial information framework. Pomfret explained that the second strategic pathway can also be used to identify legal changes necessary to address emerging geospatial technologies, such as geospatial intelligence, geospatial digital twins, and autonomous vehicles. He pointed out that many legal concerns raised by participants are similar to the challenges faced by geospatial professionals worldwide.

 On the second day, Tim Trainor, Dr. Lesley Arnold, and Pomfret discussed their presentation goals, which contribute to raising the awareness of participants from different sectors about the nine strategic pathways of the UN-IGIF and their role in the successful management of geospatial information in the Kingdom.

 Additionally, they aimed to understand the current status and future potential for integrating geospatial data within the UN-IGIF, explore the challenges and opportunities related to achieving the UN-IGIF vision at the national level, especially within the Kingdom, and promote the importance of governance and cooperation needed to advance the framework vision in Saudi Arabia. Trainor, Dr. Arnold, and Pomfret emphasized the importance of geospatial data in decision-making and its role in sustainable development.

 The seminars formed a pivotal event in promoting the UN-IGIF vision in GEOSA, providing a platform for fruitful dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas, insights, and experiences. Attendees included over 100 specialists from 50 governmental, academic, private, and nonprofit sectors.

 Saudi Arabia hosted earlier this month in Jeddah the fifth meeting of the high-level team for the UN-GGIM Integrated Geospatial Information Framework, aiming at overseeing the implementation of the integrated geospatial information framework globally and providing support, strategic leadership, and the necessary resources for its implementation and continuous development, involving member states and relevant parties.

 This meeting, held for the first time in the Arab region, was attended by 47 participants from various countries, representing member states in the UN-GGIM Committee of Experts, alongside a number of chairpersons of the committee's technical working groups and international experts and specialists. At the same time, the Kingdom hosted the meeting of the committee of UNGGIM-Arab States, whose presidency and general secretariat are held by the Kingdom.