Asia Pacific: UNESCAP and UNITAR-UNOSAT – an Ongoing Successful Partnership
11 July 2016, Bangkok, Thailand – UNITAR’s Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) has completed the training of 10 disaster management professionals working at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). The training was focused on “Geospatial Disaster Risk Reduction: From Preparedness to Emergency Response” and took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 22 to 24 June 2016 at UNESCAP’s premises.
The participants brought with them a rich background of disaster management knowledge, which facilitated the sharing of creative and innovative experiences in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools in disasters. Emphasis was placed on applications of Geospatial Information Technology (GIT), from pre-disaster risk assessment to post-disaster emergency response mapping. Overall, the course successfully achieved its aim of providing training participants with concepts, methods and practical applications of GIT for operational use in disaster risk management related activities.
The course participants agreed that the training was very practical and that it provided step by step guidance to the application of geospatial information technology tools in their workflow. Moreover, participants were able to realize the huge potential of using these applications in different development sectors including disaster risk management, agriculture, energy, transport, and urban planning.
The training was delivered by UNOSAT as part of the mutual collaboration agreement between UNOSAT and UNESCAP, which has over the past three years nurtured a successful partnership. The partnership has had a positive impact on governments in the region through training synergies. This collaboration has been essential to UNOSAT’s contribution in addressing the humanitarian and development challenges in the region. We are thankful to the successful and on-going collaboration with UNESCAP collaboration and we look forward to a future of increased involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. UNOSAT’s training activities in Bangkok receive financial support from the Government of Norway.
Photos: Participants in the GIS laboratory with UNOSAT training expert Khaled Mashfiq, who delivered the training.