Guatemala

Ecuador

Jamaica

Dominican Rep.

Fiji

Tonga

Nigeria

NamibiaMozambique

Malawi

Cameroon

Cabo Verde

Togo

Burkina Faso Sudan

Myanmar

Sri Lanka

Bangladesh

Samoa

Solomon Islands

Maldives

Vietnam

Ghana

Technical Advisory Mission (2008 - 2015)

Mongolia

Lao PDR

El Salvador

Honduras

Gabon

“Generic” needs• Strengthen existing early warning systems using geospatial data;• Strengthen the use of up-to-date Earth observation data and geographic data;• Strengthen disaster management and contingency plans with the incorporation of

space-based and geospatial information;• Help develop cooperation and data sharing agreements;• Support National Spatial Data Infrastructures;• Facilitate access to international mechanisms such as the International Charter Space

and Major Disasters, Sentinel Asia and EU-Copernicus;• Develop good information management protocols;• Conduct training courses in remote sensing and/or GIS, vegetation and water

information extraction related to drought; drought risk assessment and for rapid mapping for drought monitoring and risk assessment;

• Help in preparing inter-institutional arrangements• Help develop core datasets on, inter alia, real time weather information, climate

change resiliency information, flood plain and flood risk, flash flood modelling and prediction, and fire warning systems.

Policy and coordination• Review disaster management policy and consider provision that highlight the

importance of geospatial and space-based information• Establishing a policy which creates a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)• Facilitate the creation of a professional body or association bringing together

geospatial experts• Execute a comprehensive risk and vulnerability assessment study for the whole

country• Create a central governmental organisation for promoting the use of operational

space-based technology• Incorporate in legal frameworks “free access to all space-based information and data

in case of disaster”• Make sustainable, sufficient and long-term budget provision for efficient use of

space-based information for disaster management

Awareness raising• Convince decision-makers of the value of space-based information • Information to decision makers about existing solutions and available earth

observation products• Awareness of the use of open-source software and open data should be

strengthened

Capacity building and institutional strengthening• Training on how to leverage existing international mechanisms providing space-

based data• Courses focussing on applications of remote sensing and GIS• Focus upon the training capacities existing within the country• Introduce the learning of space-based and geographical management tools in

different university courses (remote sensing, GIS, GPS)• Focus on the application and use of existing thematic data without taking up

responsibilities of other institutions• Guarantee access to minimal IT architecture• Allocate a budget for capacity building • Creation of remote sensing and GIS offices in every department in concern• A central facility with the mandate to service all government agencies could be

established and tasked with helping government agencies produce calibrated imagery

• Promote institutional policies and strategies for institutional strengthening of capacities

Accessing and Processing of Data• An appropriate methodology and concept to integrate earth observation, spatial

data and additional socio-economic data into a vulnerability assessment should be maintained

• Implement channels of access, distribution and policies of use, to ensure that the space-based information and products reach the final users

• Promote interoperability of the space-based data bases and information Metadata generation

• Satellite data requirements should be streamlined through a single agency to avoid redundant purchase

• Document and systematize experiences in use of geospatial information to mesure the degree of progress

• Inventory of existing spatial data• Identification of organizations producers and users of spatial data• Creation of a central crisis support unit with GIS capabilities

Information flow and management• Define clear protocol/policy for information sharing supported by the appropriate

infrastructure and technology• Develop SOP with detailed operating flows so all supporting agencies are aware of

their roles and responsibilities• A multi-sectoral platform for coordinating the contribution of various actors should

be established to enable information sharing and make effective use of common resources

• Working level forum should be in place where inter-agency information management can be discussed and coordinated

• Creation of data management backup systems• Identify agency to provide IT-based solutions for the compilation, storage and

retrieval of data in government departments