United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)
News from UN-SPIDER ( previous stories)
Destination Togo: Fourth UN-SPIDER Technical Advisory Mission to Africa
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2 July 2009 - In March 2009, the Government of Togo officially requested a UN-SPIDER technical advisory mission to assess the existing use of space-based technology and information for disaster management and emergency response in Togo. The mission, which is scheduled for 13 to 16 July 2009, is specifically enquired to identify potential areas where space-based technology and information could play a greater role, and propose recommendations how to improve Togo's access to and use of space-based technology and information.
Following Burkina Faso, Ghana and Namibia this will be the fourth advisory mission to Africa. Next to two UN-SPIDER staff members, a number of different international institutions will delegate external experts to this mission, among them the UN-OCHA Regional Office West Africa (Senegal), the UN-International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the World Health Organisation (WHO) (tbc), the National Space Research and Development Agency (Nigeria), the Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS), the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in French Language (CRASTE-LF) (Morocco) and the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). This broad range of expertise and in-depth knowledge will guarantee a high quality of technical advise and an excellent base for south-south cooperation and technology transfer at the same time. |
Launch of the "SPIDER Global Thematic Partnership" at the Global Platform for Disaster Reduction
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19 June 2009 - The Second Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction took place in Geneva on 15-19 June 2009. At the session, UN-SPIDER culminated its year-long effort towards the establishment of the "SPIDER Global Thematic Partnership". This partnership will serve as a forum to facilitate networking among the global community of practitioners involved in space-based information and services to support disaster risk management. UN-SPIDER is launching this Global Thematic Partnership as an effort to facilitate the access to space-based information for disaster reduction, in line with efforts conducted by ISDR, in particular to support national and regional platforms in their activities regarding disaster risk reduction. If your institution is interested in joining this Partnership please contact Mr. Juan Carlos Villagran (E-mail: juan-carlos.villagran [at] unoosa.org).
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Four UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices officially launched in signing ceremony
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4 June 2009 - During the 52nd Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs signed cooperation agreements to establish UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices with the I.R. Iran, Nigeria, Romania, and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center. The establishment of the Regional Support Offices was agreed by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 61/110, stating that UNOOSA should "work closely with regional and national centres of expertise in the use of space technology in disaster management to form a network of regional support offices for implementing the activities of the [UN-SPIDER] programme in their respective regions in a coordinated manner and to take advantage of the important experience and capabilities being offered, and to be offered, by Member States, particularly by developing countries". These four Regional Support Offices will contribute to ensuring that all countries are able to access and use space-based information to support disaster management activities. Additional offers to host a Regional Support Office have been put forward by Algeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa and Ukraine.
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UN-SPIDER International Workshop in Vienna
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4 June 2009 - The United Nations International UN-SPIDER Vienna Workshop: "Building Capacities to Reduce Disasters" which took place on 2-4 June 2009 and had the support of the Government of Austria, brought together 78 participants from 34 counties. The objectives of the workshop were to present the most recent advances in space-based technologies for disaster management and emergency response, to review and finalize the proposed Capacity-Building Strategy, and to provide continuity to activities being conducted by UN-SPIDER in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), particularly in the context of climate change and disaster risk management. The workshop was organized to coincide with the 52nd Session of the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), allowing delegates from Members States attending the COPUOS session to be present at various segments of the workshop. The workshop set the stage for UN-SPIDER to advance its agenda in the context of capacity building, bridging the gap, and SIDS. The establishment of an Expert Group on Capacity Building will allow UN-SPIDER to advance in the elaboration of the curricula, and subsequently in the collection and classification of contents to be included in training programmes. Finally, the results of the discussions held on bridging the gap finalised the proposal for a "SPIDER Global Thematic Partnership" which was launched during the Second Session of the GPDRR and also contributed to shaping the proposed SpaceAID framework. |