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East Africa is a region at risk of multiple disasters including drought, floods and complex emergencies. The application of Geographic Information Technologies (GIT) has been fundamental for reducing the impact of such disasters and increasing community resilience.
It is in this regard that UNITAR-UNOSAT partnered with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the implementation of a project to build capacities in the use of GIT for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the region.
The project has efficiently implemented DRR activities at regional an...
UNOSAT's latest LIVE maps can be seen below, these allow users to interact with UNOSAT's analysis in an intuitive and eye-catching manner, allowing easy visualisation of the affected areas, and allowing users to focus on what interests them most, giving a better local understanding of the situation. These maps are updated as new data is available over the course of an event.
This page hosts maps and analytical reports produced by UNOSAT in support of international humanitarian assistance operations to respond to crises caused by natural disasters, conflict and other...
To ensure that field agencies, such as MSF, and UN entities have access to the most up to date information for the Horn of Africa, UNOSAT has been involving a growing number of volunteers who are actively improving baseline geographic information (typically names of places, type of structure, street names, etc). This also facilitates the work done at UNOSAT to accurately analyse the dynamic IDP situation on the ground in Mogadishu.
“Although the direct interaction with volunteer mappers is relatively new to us, we already see the benefits of combining event-specific crowd ...
Africa has experienced remarkable economic growth since the past decade. The continent's Growth Domestic Product (GDP) has been growing at a pace of 5% a year, on average, and it is expected to take a big leap by 2050, increasing from current U$ 6,36 trillion to U$29 trillion. This represents a unique opportunity to tackle some of the challenges the continent is facing, such as poverty, a high unemployment rate and heavy economic reliance on natural resources.
The transition to greener economies offers opportunities for development and growth that will enhance p...
September 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - Stronger cyclones, derailed seasonal floods, large forest fires, rising sea levels…, the climate crisis affects every part of human life and development. It is the most pressing issue to protect vulnerable populations and ensure a safe and sustainable future for all.
Geo-spatial Information Technology (GIT), including satellite imagery analysis and data visualization, can help increase climate resilience as it plays a vital role in understanding the geographic extent and severity of such hazards. The ability of national and ...
9 June 2021, Bonn, Germany - In the first three quarters of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 30% fall in electronic and electrical equipment sales in low- and middle-income countries but only a 5% decline in high-income countries, highlighting and intensifying the digital divide between north and south, according to a new UN report.
Worldwide, sales of heavy electric appliances like refrigerators, washing machines and ovens fell the hardest -- 6-8% -- while small IT and telecommunications equipment decreased by only 1.4%. Within the latter category, sales of...
The recent visit of the Secretary-General to the UNOSAT team set the tone of the new management phase at UNOSAT, which is now a recognised centre of excellence within the United Nations system in the areas of satellite analysis and geospatial information. While the visit of the Secretary-General confirms this recognition and is a reward to the staff, it also shows the gradual gain of importance of satellite derived information for the work of the UN. UNOSAT has spearheaded innovation in satellite analysis since its creation in 2000.
Photo Credit © UNITAR/UNOSAT,&nbs...
26 April 2021, New York, United States of America and Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Joint Action Plan to strengthen cooperation in IsDB member countries.
Both documents were virtually signed by United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, Mr. Nikhil Seth, and IsDB President, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, on 26 April 2021.
The collaboration will enhance national capacities and ...
As a child growing up in Namibia in the late 80s and early 90s, my earliest memory always has the sound of the radio in the background. That would be whether I was at home in town or while helping out in the fields while visiting the village. I vividly remember listening to Christmas carols or the liberation songs to commemorate the Namibian liberation struggle against apartheid on Independence / Heroes days. Radio has been a big part of my childhood, it was a source of information and entertainment. Through this mode of communication, we learned of far-off relatives eithe...
The UN CC:Learn e-learning platform has just featured a brand new 30-minute tutorial on climate information and services!
31 March 2017, Geneva, Switzerland - UN CC:Learn is pleased to announce the launch of a new introductory e-tutorial on "Climate Information and Services" for decision-makers and professionals from Africa and beyond, which has been developed in collaboration with United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The tutorial is available on UN CC:e-Learn platform.
It is structured around answering three questions:
What are...