CODIST.2 - Report on Executive Working Group Activities

1. CODIST.2 - Report on Executive Working Group Activities Geoinformation Sub-Committee Sives Govender Executive Director EIS-Africa (on behalf of the Chair’s of the WGs)

2. Outline The working groups were established at the third meeting of Committee on Development Information (CODI). Convenors: Working Group on AFREF (RCMRD/ AOCRS) Working Group on Standards (EIS-Africa) Working Group on Fundamental Datasets (Rep. of South Africa) Working Group on Capacity Building (RECTAS) Activities of WG since CODIST 1 Challenges & Conclusions.

3. Introduction The report includes actions and work programme undertaken by the WGs as a follow-up to resolutions adopted by CODIST.1 and other activities considered as being of interest to member States and partners. The activities focused on: Policy issues, Technical issues, Capacity building, International cooperation and liaison

4. Working Group on AFREF Compiled by Dr. Hussein Farah, RCMRD, AFREF Steering Committee. The activities are focused on: Capacity Building : Workshops and Training Implementation Status

5. Concept A unified geodetic reference frame for Africa to be the fundamental basis for the national and regional three-dimensional reference networks fully consistent and homogeneous with the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF)

6. Two Levels A network of Continuous Operation GNSS Reference Stations (CORS) spread all over Africa At least one in every country GNSS based National geodetic networks, including both active and passive stations

7. The International Steering Committee Working group on AFREF set up by Executive Working Group of CODIST-Geo: Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), represented by the Director General, Co-Chair; African Organisation of Cartography and Remote Sensing (AOCRS), represented by the Secretary General, Co-Chair; Regional Centre For Training In Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS), the Executive Director; Representative of the North African (sub) Reference Frame (NAFREF): Tunisia, Head of National Surveys & Mapping Organisation; East African Reference Frame (EAFREF), represented by Tanzania, Director of Surveys & Mapping; West African Reference Frame (WAFREF), represented by Nigeria, Surveyor General of the Federation; Southern African Reference Frame (SAFREF), represented by Namibia, Director of Surveys & Mapping; Central African Reference Frame (CAFREF), represented by Congo Republic, Directeur, Centre de Recherche Géographique et du Production Cartographique. This working group plus the Chair of the International Association of Geodesy, sub commission on Reference Frames, Africa (SC 1.3d), constitutes the International Steering Committee on AFREF (ISCA).

8. Achievement AFREF achievement since CODIST.1 (2009): The Steering Committee held one meeting during the reporting period. The meeting was held in n Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The main activities during the reporting period were creating awareness and requesting organizations to join the AFREF project, technical workshops and preparation of technical documents for the implementation of AFREF.

9. Workshops and Training Two training sessions of two weeks duration on AFREF and GNSS data processing were held at Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), Kenya in August 2009 and August 2010. Objectives to equip geodesist with practical skills in the establishment and operation of Continuous Operating Reference Stations. The topics discussed included AFREF implementation strategy, IGS products & data, hardware and software requirements to establish Continuous Operating Reference Stations, design of geodetic networks and GNSS data processing. Participants from eleven countries namely; Botswana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia took part in the courses. Two expert group meetings were held in Nigeria and Ethiopia in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Presentations on AFREF were made at: IGS 2010 conference; EUG 2009 conference, IAG 2009 conference, REFAG conference in 2010, and Africa Array meetings held in South Africa and USA in November and June 2010 respectively.

10. Website and Newsletter The AFREF website was created in May 2006 (http://geoinfo.uneca.org/afref). UNECA continues to maintain and update the website. All papers and presentations relating to AFREF and the CFP are available on the site. The quarterly AFREF newsletter continued to be published regularly by the AFREF secretariat at RCMRD. The objective of the newsletter is to create a forum for discussions and exchange of information and experiences in the implementation of AFREF project. Five editions of the Newsletter were published during the reporting period as follows: Three editions in 2009 and two in 2010.

11. Implementation Status The following countries have already established at least one Continuous Operation GNSS Reference Stations (CORS); Algeria, Egypt, Mozambique, Ghana, Kenya, Benin, Morocco, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Mauritius, Tanzania, Cameroon. Algeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Benin. AFREF Operational Data Centre (ODC) for the collection and dissemination of data from permanent GNSS stations in Africa started operations at the beginning of June 2010. GNSS data from all known stations that provide data on an open and free basis to users is collected and archived in the ODC which means that there is now one data base from which users can retrieve data. At present there are about 50 stations throughout Africa that contribute to the ODC The web address for the AFREF ODC is: www.afrefdata.org. The ODC is operated by Chief Directorate: National Geospatial Information of the Republic of South Africa.

12. Implementation Status The next phase is to densify the CORS and realize the Africa Reference Frame that can be adapted by African Countries. A draft call for participation document to all interested and capable institutions in the processing and analysis of GNSS data from the network of permanent GNSS base stations in Africa for the establishment of a uniform geodetic reference frame has been prepared. This document together with the methodologies and strategies for computing the Africa Reference Frame will be discussed during the present CODIST meeting. An implementation support plan for the AFREF project was endorsed for support by the AU-EC 8th Priority Action and Joint Strategy.

13. Working Group on Fundamental Datasets Compiled by Dr. D. Clarke, Chief Director NGI (South Africa) The activities are focused on: Implementation Status (Projects)

14. Introduction The CODIST-Geo Working Group on Fundamental Datasets is primarily working with the Mapping Africa for Africa initiative. The Durban Statement on Mapping Africa for Africa was adopted by the CODI-Geo, and this statement informs the work being undertaken by this Working Group.

15. Projects completed Definition and determination of Fundamental Geospatial Datasets for Africa. Results of this project were approved by the CODI-Geo and have been published by the Un Economic Commission for Africa in 2007 entitled “Determination of Fundamental Datasets in Africa” ECA/IST/GEO/2007/02E. Catalogue of Fundamental Geospatial Datasets for Africa. Metadata provided to UNECA geoportal. Gap Analysis of each country. Report presented to UNECA.

16. Projects in progress Guidelines for Best Practice for the Acquisition, Storage, Maintenance and Dissemination of Fundamental Geo-spatial Datasets. Purpose: hands-on toolkit for all those organisations, and in particular theNMAs, which are involved in the collection and management of the fundamental datasets in their respective country. Look at international experience but focus on the African conditions and experience and craft African solutions. Document will be digital and hardcopy “live” document to address technology, prodecures or policy change.

17. Projects in progress Current progress: Outline of document – complete Description of content of each chapter – complete, but amendments can be effected Document specification - complete Production schedule – draft Funding sourced – project proposal for funding in progress Assignment to authors/contributors – awaiting funding. Funding for this project is now the biggest obstacle to making progress. It is estimated that US$ 120,000 will be required. This estimate is based on authors only being paid an honorarium fee.

18. Cooperation with the ICA The Working Group has a very close working relationship with the International Cartographic Association (ICA), in particular the ICA Working Group on Mapping Africa for Africa. The ICA adopted the Durban Statement on Mapping Africa for Africa in August 2003 and since that time has been providing international experience and expertise to the initiative. It has supported the WG on Fundamental Datasets with valuable advice.

19. Working Group on Standards Compiled by Sives Govender, Executive Director, EIS-AFRICA and Antony Cooper, Operating Unit Fellow, CSIR (South Africa) The activities are focused on: Participation in international standards activities (ISO TC 211) Key standards for future consideration support the development of Fundamental Geospatial datasets and the Mapping Africa for Africa Initiative (MAfA). ISO TC 211 plenary in Pretoria in November 2011.

20. African Metadata tools At CODI V a African profile of ISO 19115 created. Tools assessed. UNECA tested and deployed GeoNetwork Opensource. UNECA used this FOSS tool to deliver short courses in Sierra Leone on metadata creation, dissemination and discovery. We must consider this tool to support the capture of the African metadata profile.

21. Acknowledgment This reports details the activities undertaken by Mr. Antony Cooper in his role as Standard Working Group member and Liason from ISO/TC211 to UNECA. It covers the period from the end of CODIST1 to present.

22. Participation in international standards activities ISO/TC 211 is the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee developing standards for Geographic Information/Geomatics (see: http://www.isotc211.org). ISO/TC 211 was established in 1994 and is a very active committee, with 32 Participating Members (P-members) and 31 Observing Members (O-members). Currently, the ISO/TC 211 members from Africa are:  P-members: Morocco and South Africa. O-members: Kenya, Mauritius, Swaziland (corresponding member), Tanzania and Zimbabwe. South African is only active African country. (SABS SC71E). ISO/TC 211 also has 31 Class A Liaisons – these are international organizations that also participate in ISO/TC 211. They include agencies of the United Nations, international scientific unions and industry organizations. UN ECA became a Class A Liaison in 2005. Currently Mr. Andre Nonguierma and Mr. Antony Cooper, are the liaison from UNECA to ISO/TC 211.

23. New ISO TC 211 Standards published ISO/TC 211 has now published 36 International Standards (IS), 8 Technical Specifications (TS) and 3 Technical Reports (TR). Since the last meeting of CODIST in April/May 2009, the following ISO/TC 211 documents have been published: ISO 19111-2:2009, Geographic information – Spatial referencing by coordinates – Part 2: Extension for parametric value ISO 19126:2009, Geographic information – Feature concept dictionaries and registers ISO/TS 19129:2009, Geographic information – Imagery, gridded and coverage data framework ISO/TS 19130:2010, Geographic information – Imagery sensor models for geopositioning ISO 19142:2010, Geographic information – Web Feature Service ISO 19143:2010, Geographic information – Filter encoding ISO 19144-1:2009, Geographic information – Classification systems – Part 1: Classification system structure ISO 19146:2010, Geographic information – Cross-domain vocabularies.

24. Active Projects for ISO TC 211 ISO/TC 211 currently has 28 active projects. New projects that have commenced over the last two years are: Revision of ISO 19101:2002, Geographic information – Reference model – Part 1: Fundamentals Revision of ISO/TS 19103:2005, Geographic information – Conceptual Schema Language Revision of ISO/TS 19110:2005, Geographic information – Methodology for feature cataloguing Revision of ISO 19115:2003, Geographic information – Metadata – Part 1: Fundamentals ISO/TS 19130-2, Geographic information – Imagery sensor models for geopositioning – Part 2: SAR, InSAR, Lidar and Sonar Revision of ISO 19135:2005, Geographic information – Procedures for item registration – Part 1: xxx ISO/TS 19135-2, Geographic information – Procedures for item registration – Part 2: XML Schema Implementation ISO/TS 19139-2, Geographic information – Metadata – XML Schema Implementation – Part 2: Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19145, Geographic information – Registry of representations of geographic point location ISO 19147, Geographic information – Transfer Nodes ISO 19150-1, Geographic information – Ontology – Part 1: Framework ISO 19150-2, Geographic information – Ontology – Part 2: Rules for developing ontologies in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) ISO 19157, Geographic information – Data Quality (Revision and consolidation of ISO 19113:2002, ISO 19114:2002 and ISO/TS 19138:2006) ISO/TS 19158, Geographic information – Quality assurance of data supply ISO/TS 19159, Geographic information – Calibration and validation of remote sensing imagery sensors and data ISO 19160, Addressing

25. Standards for CODIST (MAFA) to consider Standards for Data Content ISO 19103 - Conceptual schema language ISO 19107 - Spatial schemaISO 19108 - Temporal schemaISO 19109 - Rules for application schemaISO 19110 - Feature cataloguing methodologyISO 19111 - Spatial referencing by coordinatesISO 19112 - Spatial referencing by geographic identifiersISO 19113 - Quality principlesISO 19114 - Quality evaluation proceduresISO 19115 – MetadataISO/TR 19121 - Imagery and gridded data ISO 19123 - Schema for coverage geometry and functions ISO 19124 - Imagery and gridded data componentsISO 19126 - Profile - FACC Data DictionaryISO 19127 - Geodetic codes and parametersISO 19129 - Imagery, gridded and coverage data frameworkISO 19130 - Sensor and data model for imagery and gridded dataISO 19131 - Data product specificationISO 19137 - Generally used profiles of the spatial schema and of similar important other schemas 

26. Standards for CODIST (MAFA) to consider Standards for Access & Services ISO 19116 - Positioning servicesISO 19117 – PortrayalISO 19118 – EncodingISO 19119 – ServicesISO 19125-1 - Simple feature access – Common architectureISO 19125-2 – SFA – SQL option ISO 19125-3 – SFA – COM/OLEISO 19128 - Web Map Server InterfaceISO 19132 - Location based services possible standards ISO 19133 - Location based services tracking and navigation ISO 19134 - Multimodal location based services for routing and navigationISO 19136 – Geography Markup Language (GML) Framework ISO 19101 – Reference modelISO 19104 – TerminologyISO 19105 – Conformance and testingISO 19106 – ProfilesISO/TR 19120 – Functional standardsISO 19135 – Procedures for registration of geographic information items gridded data schema and of similar important other schemas

27. Meetings The 28th Plenary of ISO/TC 211 was held in Molde, Norway, on 28 and 29 May 2009, the 29th Plenary in Québec, Canada, on 5 and 6 November 2009, the 30th Plenary in Southampton, United Kingdom, on 27 and 28 May 2010, and the 31st Plenary in Canberra, Australia, on 9 and 10 December 2010. Poland (??) South Africa November 2011

28. ISO/TC 211 Plenary in South Africa South Africa hosted the 10th Plenary in March 2000 and South Africa will host the 33rd Plenary in Pretoria from Sunday 13 to Friday 18 November 2011, Essential that there is good participation African countries, either as part of their national delegation, or for those countries that are not yet members of ISO/TC 211, through the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA) or other liaison organizations.

29. How do you participate? For experts from the members of ISO/TC 211, namely Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, participation can be through your national standards body. (The relevant contact details will be provided). As part of the delegation from UN ECA, as it is a liaison organization to ISO/TC 211. ECA must forward names to ISO. Through other liaison organizations to ISO/TC 211, such as the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI), the International Cartographic Association (ICA), the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), or the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM).

30. How do you participate? There are no fees. delegates obviously need to cover their subsistence and travel costs. Typically, there are two deadlines for meetings of ISO/TC 211: By 13 August 2011, ISO/TC 211 needs to know which member countries and liaisons will participate, and approximately how many delegates there will be. By 13 October 2011, ISO/TC 211 needs to know the names of all the delegates, and hence the exact number of attendees.

31. Conclusion CODIST GEO members must exploit the opportunity of having the ISO/TC 211 experts in Pretoria. We must plan to have events such as tutorials or workshops on specific standards, which would be open to anyone. ISO/TC 211 also holds tutorials or workshops on ISO processes, the ISO Directives, the ISO/TC 211 scope, the unified modeling language (UML) as used in ISO/TC 211, and terminology in ISO/TC 211 standards. Participation can only enhance our understanding and contribution to developing our own national standards.

32. Conclusion For the Working Group on Standards to realistically deliver on its mandate it is imperative that dedicated funding be sourced to cover the costs in attending Standards meeting as well as to develop African profiles of the ISO standards to support FDS and MAfA. The WG on Standards need more volunteers to join the Standards WG. We must participate in ISO TC 211 in South Africa and UNECA must assist with this process.

33. Working Group on Capacity Building Chair RECTAS The activities to be given in next presentation.

34. Summary of key issues AFREF: Implementation agency/Custodians must be NMAs NMAs must take a leadership role. Resources. FDS: Best Practise guideline will need significant funding and also “our” regular inputs to keep document “alive”. Standards: Complex, technical Need dedicated resources to develop African profiles to assist Mapping Africa for Africa. Must attend ISO TC 211 plenary in South Africa. Capacity Building: Resourcing important Co-locate events at AfricaGIS and AARSE (save costs and maximise exposure)

35. Thanks ECA. Chairs and members of the Working Groups. CODIST Geo participants on behalf of the EWG. We invite you to participate in the WG activities because together we can make a difference and show tangible results when we meet again at CODIST3 in 2013.

36. Contacting ECA http://geoinfo.uneca.org/sdiafrica/ http://www.uneca.org