Prepared by the International Division of the Earth Science Sector (ESS), the Africa Strategy for Geomatics is intended to help ESS focus its project development activities in Africa. It positions ESS to respond to the challenges of using geomatics as a tool to address key issues facing African countries. These issues include water quality, sustainable development, and natural disaster response.

In preparing this strategy, ESS consulted a number of stakeholders, including other government departments, Canadian businesses, academia, development partners and international organizations. These consultations were combined with extensive analysis of each African country's social, environmental and economic situation. The strategy includes a comprehensive diagnosis of the development challenges facing African countries. It considers how future applications of geomatics could provide reliable support to African decision-makers in addressing sustainable development issues.

The Sector's vision for geomatics work in Africa is guided by Canadian foreign policy objectives, which include promoting sustainable development, creating opportunities for Canadian businesses and reinforcing Canada's leadership role in the earth sciences. The strategy takes into account the principles and priorities articulated by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the G8 Africa Action Plan, the UN Millennium Development Goals and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

The ESS strategy focuses on particular African countries, prioritized based on each country's:

• Geomatics requirements
• Current development programs and policies
• Support from international financial institutions and organizations
• Economic situation
• Involvement with Canadians businesses, colleges and universities

ESS also takes into account each selected country's state of institutional development, implementation capacity, governance, and other issues. From this assessment, the level and composition of ESS advisory, technical and/or financial support to the country is determined.

The Sector has prioritized the following countries for geomatics work: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tunisia. ESS remains open to working with other African countries.

The Sector's geomatics expertise can help African countries contend with a number of issues through the application of geomatics. Some key issues include:

• Sustainable management of water and natural resources
• Protecting the environment
• Preventing desertification and climate change
• Cadastre, land-use planning and security of international boundaries
• Management of land, agriculture and forests
• Natural disaster response

In light of these issues, technologies of interest to these countries include Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Data Infrastructure as well as capacity building and national geomatics plans.

For further information, please contact Omar Allam.