Introduction to the Seminar Theme The Sixth GISDECO Seminar focuses on contributions that Geographic Information Technology (GIT) makes towards improving Governance in Developing Countries. Its main purpose is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and practical experience between experts and users of GIT as applied to governance issues. The seminar will explore how stakeholder groups are using GIT and how this explicitly or implicitly affects Governance systems and structures within the Public Sector, Private Sector and Civil Society. The seminar will address governance in both urban and rural areas. As the practice of Governance is dependant upon the historical, cultural and political circumstances of a given society, there is no system of governance that can be universally applied. The scope of governance is not reduced to dealing with the efficiency of government services, administration and delivery; rather, it is typically defined through 5 main constructs: Legitimacy – e.g. adherence to democratic procedures, representing diverse interests, performance monitoring Respect for – e.g. basic human rights, civil liberties, property rights, group or regional rights Accountability – e.g. transparency, degree of devolution, accountability mechanisms Competence – e.g. efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery, administrative competence Equity – e.g. access to resources and services by (disadvantaged) groups in society, degree of open access to markets. Spatial and spatial information connotations are relevant in most of these dimensions, and the development and use of GIT can be expected to have an impact on governance relationships in all countries. The potential benefits of GIT for improving the quantity and quality of spatial information and enhancing analytical capabilities not only should lead to a better understanding of development problems, but could also change the balance of power in governance relationships. Governance and the public sector’s use of GIS The public sector has a crucial role in governance processes; it can play a vital role in the capture and use of geographic information for all stages of development related planning. What specific activities are implemented to improve public access to geographic information in urban and rural planning problems? Does the use of GIS support more open, collaborative planning processes? Governance and the private sector’s use of GIS The governance significance of the private sector is vital in the rapidly expanding GIT market. For example, privatisation affects the capture and distribution of what was formerly public domain spatial data, and more accessible public data enables investors to analyse the impact of development projects. How is the private sector’s role in the GIT industry changing? Can private sector interests bring about more complete and equitable access to spatial information? Governance and civil society’s use of GIS NGOs, CBOs and other groups in civil society are adopting GIT as means of empowerment in planning and development and to gain recognition for their needs. Indigenous peoples of Canada and New Zealand for example, use GIS tools to document their local knowledge and establish entitlements to land and other resources. NGO-CBO networks use GIS to assist slum dwellers to create socio-economic and physical profiles of slum areas, also in partnership with the public and private sectors. Pre-Seminar Workshops Three parallel one-day workshops are offered on Wednesday 15 th May: ‘Local Governance and GIS’, ‘Participatory Geo-information Acquisition & Analysis in Collaborative Space’, and ‘GIS for Governance- Effective use of Data from Multiple Sources’. For more details and registration, see website. There is a small additional cost for the workshops. Content of the Seminar In keynote sessions, Dr. Dele Olowu (Nigeria), Prof. Carole Rakodi (UK), and Dr. Suan Pheng Kam (Philippines) elaborate on the main themes: Governance challenges and implications for the use of GIS in the context of urban development and rural development. The main content of the 2 days is devoted to about 40 papers that will be presented either orally or as posters, and discussions focusing on practical applications of GIS in the Public Sector, Private Sector and Civil Society. Papers to be presented include such topics as GIS and social responsibility in urban planning, informal settlements, urban agriculture, community-based natural resource management, community infrastructure management, and service delivery, training in GIS & governance and capacity-building in government agencies and in the private sector, linking governance issues with participatory GIS and with technical GIT On Day2 there is a ‘break-out’ opportunity to enable participants to discuss specific issues or to form informal groups. Throughout the seminar an exhibition room presents relevant hardware, programmes and GIS applications from GIS companies and researchers. The seminar finishes with a panel discussion relating to the themes and a summing up. In addition, there are social events including a reception hosted by the City of Enschede and a buffet dinner on Friday evening. On Saturday morning participants may join a short visit to the Roombeek area that was destroyed in the fireworks disaster. The visit will show how the city is proposing to redevelop this area including the wishes of previous residents, many of whom will return to the area when construction is complete. Alternatively, for persons who would like to continue discussions with other participants, rooms at ITC can be made available. We trust that you will find the programme and other activities both informative and enjoyable and wish you a pleasant stay in Enschede. Local Organising Committee GISDECO 6