international hydrographic organization annual report 2011 ... - IHO

A third preparatory meeting for the establishment of the GGIM, comprising representatives from nearly
30 UN Member States together with representatives from the principal non-governmental international
organizations concerned with global geospatial information management was held at the UN
Headquarters in April.
The meeting reviewed the UN Secretary-General’s report and its recommendations intended for
consideration by the ECOSOC and the proposed Terms of Reference and Vision Statement for the GGIM.
The meeting went on to discuss and provide input to the agenda and arrangements for the first UN World
Forum on Global Geospatial Information Management to be hosted in Seoul, Korea from October 24 to
28.
Captain WARD represented the IHO at the meeting. He informed the meeting about the IHO’s role and
relationship with the UN as tbe recognised competent authority on hydrography and nautical charting
services and the well established IHO mechanisms and standards that are already in place to assist in the
exchange and availability of hydrographic information in standardised forms across the globe.
UN GLOBAL FORUM ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
AND 1 st MEETING OF THE UN COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (GGIM)
Seoul, Republic of Korea, 24-26 October
In July, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the
GGIM. The GGIM held its first meeting in Seoul immediately after a threeday
forum on global geospatial information management. UN delegations at
the forum included a number of ministers responsible for geospatial services
in their respective countries. 350 participants from 90 countries and 37
representatives from international organizations, attended the forum. The
IHO has been recognised as an Observer organisation at the GGIM. Captain WARD represented the IHO
at the first meeting.
Representatives of the JB-GIS (L to R):
The Presidents of FIG, IGU, GSDI; ICA, ISPRS; ISGCGM, JB-GIS, Director IHO, IMTA
The forum and GGIM was the first time such a high level of representation had gathered anywhere in the
world to discuss geospatial information management. At the heart of the discussions were the advantages
to be gained by society and by governments of establishing spatial data infrastructures. Although the
discussion and examples given were centred exclusively on land-based initiatives, several of the
delegations acknowledged that the maritime domain is an integral part of GGIM. The role of the IHO and
its Member State HO’s was acknowledged in this respect. The role of the IHO was described in a joint
submission presented by the Chair of the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JB-GIS), in
which the IHB represents the IHO. During the discussion on geospatial data standards, the development
of IHO S-100 was mentioned specifically by the observer representing the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO).
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