Programme: three-year advance diploma in geomatics.• Regi<strong>on</strong>al Centre for Mapping <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Resources for DevelopmentProgramme: One to six m<strong>on</strong>ths short-term training courses in geomatics.j) Tanzania• University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Dar-es-SalaamProgramme: four-year B.Sc. course in geomatics.k) Sudan• University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> KhartoumProgramme: B.Sc./M.Sc. in geomatics.l) Ethiopia• University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Addis-AbabaProgramme: B.Sc. in geography-remote sensing.78
V. NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES432. GNSS is an extremely valuable tool across a broad range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong>s andrequirements. GNSS technology provides an opportunity for developing countries to takeadvantage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong>s that improve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> life, benefit social and ec<strong>on</strong>omic progress,and support priorities for sustainable development. The technical advances in GNSS over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> last20 years have resulted in streamlined processes, s<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>tware, instrumentati<strong>on</strong>, and relativelyinexpensive basic user equipment.433. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> GNSS are not fully recognised and taken advantage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>,particularly in developing countries, for a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> reas<strong>on</strong>s. In order to help developing countriesbenefit from GNSS applicati<strong>on</strong>s, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Office for Outer Space Affairs has organised, within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>framework <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> United Nati<strong>on</strong>s Programme <strong>on</strong> Space Applicati<strong>on</strong>s, a series <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> workshopsfocusing <strong>on</strong> capacity building in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> GNSS in various areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong>s. Four regi<strong>on</strong>alworkshops (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 2001; Vienna, Austria, November 2001; Santiagode Chile, Chile, April 2002, and Lusaka, Zambia, July 2002) and two internati<strong>on</strong>al expertmeetings (Vienna, November 2002 and December 2003) were organised with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> technical andfinancial support <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> United States <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> America. Co-sp<strong>on</strong>sorship was alsoprovided by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Space Agency.434. The regi<strong>on</strong>al workshops provided an opportunity for outreach and assessment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>particular needs <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing countries. A questi<strong>on</strong>naire was developed and circulated toparticipants by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Office for Outer Space Affairs and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results made available to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> meetings<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experts in November 2002 and December 2003. This informati<strong>on</strong>, al<strong>on</strong>g with communicati<strong>on</strong>swith various workshop participants, aided <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Acti<strong>on</strong> Team in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> identificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> key areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>interest and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> challenges facing people wishing to integrate GNSS into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir field <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> work orapplicati<strong>on</strong>.A. Needs <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing countries435. The needs <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing countries are listed in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> following directi<strong>on</strong>s:a) Instituti<strong>on</strong>al Needs• Improve communicati<strong>on</strong> between GNSS service providers and decisi<strong>on</strong> and policymakers to support applicati<strong>on</strong> efforts. Government support for GNSS technology, andincreasing level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> interest and awareness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ‘new way’ to do things. Lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficialpolicies related to use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> GNSS as a key factor for social and ec<strong>on</strong>omic development.View bey<strong>on</strong>d nati<strong>on</strong>al borders.• Each developing country has to take measures for capacity building in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> GNSStechnology in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> infrastructure, training and manpower development.• Reports and recommendati<strong>on</strong>s should be sent via United Nati<strong>on</strong>s channels toGovernments <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> all countries involved. Benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> GNSS technology and applicati<strong>on</strong>sshould be highlighted to decisi<strong>on</strong> and policy makers to increase financial and politicalsupport.• Explore possibility <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> establishment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> an internati<strong>on</strong>al GNSS mechanism to promote andfoster technology and applicati<strong>on</strong>s.79
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