GSDI 5 Conference Report

More than 250 participants from 49 nationalities attended GSDI 5. The Conference was held in Cartagena, Colombia during May 22-24, 2001. Organized under the theme "Sustainable Development: GSDI for Improved Decision-Making", the event was an exciting and informative opportunity for geodata producers and SDI technology developers to share with decision-makers from public and private sectors. The Colombian government took a leading role with GSDI through its national mapping agency, Agustin Codazzi Geographic Institute -IGAC.

Cartagena, Colombia venue for GSDI 5

GSDI 5 highlights include:

GSDI to produce a statement on the need for global data sets for sustainable development, to be tabled at the forthcoming UN Rio+10 Summit taking place at Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002
To better achieve its goal and objectives, GSDI resolved that in the short term intends to evolve into a public/private not-for-profit organization.
Industry participation increases, moving from conventional conference sponsorship to a direct involvement in GSDI activities.
In memory of the late John Estes, Chair, International Steering Committee on Global Mapping -ISCGM. Jack Dangermont, ESRI President launched a five million dollars grant for GSDI and Global Mapping.
GSDI 5 Conference incorporated the 3rd Meeting of the Permanent Committee on Spatial Data Infrastructures for the Americas -PC IDEA and the 8th ISCGM Meeting.
PC IDEA and its sister committee for Asia and the Pacific -PCGIAP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, addressed to promote common ground areas for SDI development at the regional level
The next GSDI Conference will be held in Budapest, Hungary, September 2002.

Conference Statements
The President of Colombia, Andres Pastrana, sent a message to the Conference, and stated that "…the Government of Colombia is pleased and takes with utmost interest, through the "Agustin Codazzi" Geographic Institute, responsibility for the coordination of GSDI activities during the 2001-2002 period, decision that we understand as a recognition for all our country efforts in this field, both at the local and international levels".

As well, in his address, Juan Mayr, Minister of the Environment and former UNCSD Chair, affirmed at the Opening Session that "…the Colombian Spatial Data Infrastructure -ICDE is considered in our country as a key initiative for policy formulation and guideline establishment to organize data production, avoid redundancy and facilitate its use and analysis".

Industry Participation
The agenda of GSDI 5 included as an integrated part of the Conference, industry participation. Two sessions provided industry representatives with opportunities to discuss how technology can support and advance spatial data infrastructures. Further, this was also an excellent venue for companies to participate and join the rapidly growing global spatial data infrastructure.

Year | Reports | Add Events

2000 | 2001 | 2002

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