Â鶹APP

The Â鶹APP Global Geospatial Information Management Section, Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Government of Singapore through the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore successfully organized the third expert meeting of the Working Group on Marine Geospatial Information together with the thirteenth meeting of the Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure Working Group of the International Hydrographic Organization and the meeting of the Marine Domain Working Group of the Open Geospatial Consortium. These meetings incorporated a global forum, the International Seminar on Â鶹APP Global Geospatial Information Management with the theme "effective and integrated marine geospatial information management". The five-day event was very productive, participants affirmed the Singapore Statement on Effective and Integrated Marine Geospatial Information Management, the outcome statement of the International Seminar.

The third expert meeting of the Â鶹APP Working Group on Marine Geospatial Information allowed members of the Working Group together with invited experts to review, consider and discuss its progress to-date, followed through on the guidance and decisions of UN-GGIM at its annual sessions, considered and addressed new developments, and in particular, its ongoing consideration to develop and consult the draft Operational Framework for Integrated Marine Geospatial Information Management (IGIF-H). The meeting facilitated peer-to-peer engagement and exchange of knowledge, information, experience as well as practices. Members of the Working Group also attended to the business of the Working Group.

The International Seminar on Â鶹APP Global Geospatial Information Management, with the theme "Effective and Integrated Marine Geospatial Information", had an opening keynote presentation by the Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore together with twenty-nine presentations delivered in eight plenary sessions. The seminar provided a forum for dialogue, exchanging and sharing of knowledge, information and practices. It allowed participants to deliberate key considerations for integrated marine geospatial information within a national digital information ecosystem for effective policy-development, decision-making, programmes and projects to achieve national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Marine geospatial information must be readily available and accessible, needed by Member States to support data-driven, evidence-based management and administration of seas, oceans, coastal zones, and inland waters. Knowing where people, marine life, events, and activities are, and their spatial relationships to one another, is essential for informed policy-development and decision-making. The timeliness of such data is of equal importance. Real-time marine geospatial information is needed to prepare for and respond to emergency situations, such as disasters, but real-time or near real-time data can also help develop strategic priorities and measure and monitor outcomes, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.