The PCGIAP Development Needs Taskforce conducted a workshop on GIS and related development needs of Pacific Group member nations on 22-25 March 1999, in Suva Fiji.
The primary aim of the Taskforce is to identify the spatial data infrastructure (SDI) or GIS and related development needs of member countries, with a view to seeking financial support from international agencies for GIS development programs to address those needs. Such needs may relate to the development of geodetic, mapping and GIS systems, cadastral management, staff training, etc.
The Taskforce has been divided into four operational areas for a number of reasons, not least being the geographical diversity of the Asia and the Pacific region. The sub-regions are West Asia, North Asia, SE Asia, and Oceania (which includes the Pacific Group).
The Suva workshop and Taskforce activities in the other sub-regions are contributing to PCGIAP's primary role, the development of a GIS (or spatial) data infrastructure for the Asia and the Pacific region. This spatial data infrastructure will provide significant benefit to individual nations and across the region, particularly in the area of economic and social development, and for environmentally sustainable development.
( Other working groups in PCGIAP cover regional issues for geodesy and fundamental data and PCGIAP is also addressing cadastral matters. )
The workshop was not be of a technical nature, and was aimed at the head of the national survey and mapping agency, or equivalent - the position proposed by the United Nations as PCGIAP Member. As well there were a number of observers.
The main reason for choosing Fiji as the venue was for logistical reasons and Fiji welcomed the opportunity to host the workshop.
Pacific island representatives at the workshop agreed on the formation of a PCGIAP Pacific Group to represent the unique and special interests of Pacific island countries in PCGIAP matters.
The Pacific Group agreed on an executive structure that would represent the Group by annual rotation in alphabetical order of country name. American Samoa is the first Pacific Group Chair up to the annual meeting PCGIAP in 2000. Cook Islands is Vice-Chair and Fiij holds responsibility for geodesy activities for the same period.
The 19 countries in the Pacific Group are:
American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Please direct any questions about the workshop or about PCGIAP to the PCGIAP Executive Officer, Mr Bob Irwin:
Mr Bob Irwin
PCGIAP Executive Officer
PO Box 2
Belconnen ACT 2616
Australia
Tel: +61 2 6201 4267
Fax: +61 2 6201 4366
Email: permcom@auslig.gov.au
The contact point for this web page is sec@pcgiap.org
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This page was last updated 14-04-1999.