Implementation of resolutions 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the fifth United Nations regional cartographic conference for Africa : contribution of the African association of cartography to the development of Geodesy in Africa

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5,'

UNITED NATIONS

AND

'Dia.tr.j\u^',i /o:x\' LIMITED i .>;>.:»T E/ECA/NRD/CART/2 7 29 October 1986

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COUNCIL

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ENGLISH-:.. lP;

---_-Original:!: -^FRENCH

• ECONOMIC COMMISSION .FOR:AFRICA; DO;ior-

Sixth"bniied'Natioris Regional

Cartographic Conference for Africa Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,

10 - 17 November 1966

O it'JSf"1! ' 37 ; ". - -.r! 7. .:J^;*;n-.,.^

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i-rIMPLEMEN:TATIONi OF-.RESOLUTIONS 6ii;.7,^8LAND 9 ..OF ^THE^.EIFTH UNITED".NATIONS -. .-r,/r*.'-i V^ ';-v :REGIONAL/;.CARTOGRAPHICn.CONFERENCEiFOR AFRICAjjiot/JuC 0;.'^^^:'

«.,;i -fc CONTRIBUTIpNjpF.THE AFRICAN. ASSOCIATION.' OF t CARTOGRAPHY.*, TO THEi.'^-'ckj/i*

^n.'.- ;ao.r-r;;:'r:r.n-io /.bDEVELOPMENT ;,OF GEODESY ..IN 1AFRICA 00.; fi£. .010-<v> ijifiw r:.f Note of the Secretariat! l^Lvcs: v.j.orioyt r:r>-r. :'.:i

;»-j;,?Several; eminent African* geodesistsi.were :behindathey'establishment, ; in'.-1975, - aof j:thex . African- Association i.^o£..>.Cartography/*/tAAC) ^othey-.'striv.ed ■ :to« ensure that ..,, .„. it-, was^ givenj-. -the:, :sjtatus;,a-pf>-..an <. intergovernmental ..organizational-capable* :■ of ,jn.t strengthening .ties,v.-pf-;,r.coroperationo among African countries'.'"and-J'between ■ African

countries^, and; the international., scientific:'community/. '(**--°- ' rn '"•iI--^lK--'"v:- ::>1S lV

■;-<;/i#l .^The ^Association -,should -also- .providei.the ideal.1'framework'-'tb'i promote- projects ,-pf..-, cpmrnonj...interest in line2with -the many rresolutions'-'adopted-^al^various-^ Urii'ted

:>Nations rRegi.pnal Cartographic. Cohferences^for A'fri'ca-Z-'Jw^oj loi ;:n^* •-■■.^' >--ci'-

Moreover, the establishment of the African Association of-Cartography under the'auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is an additional r:> instrument v.:for v co-ordination rand Iico-bperation twhi'ch-i-wrlT'-heTp -to"'attain the

3desired.,objectives..: ■"; J i-,j: _-u .jJ îj.*-.o:i 'i---. x-i -.c- or'J ~.r-' ri r^ -\o.^C;.'.'.'; I'î^n.i>'-\i . Right from its initial meetings, the AAC Council -'dem6rist'rated1/:its determination to include in the priority programmes of the Association the implementation -.of • a ,continentwide-.geodetic -network^'arid'îts .willingness1 to work, together with all; intergovernmental ^^non-goy^rn2TOJ^ta■^l.,.. ..international and other institutions to ensure the establishment:.of''.the network. 1- i-'_.^J.-^.0^---?

pi :O'.nTiri It.-.4,?t. on,ly bVi harmoniously ^.combining -Africa '.s^human'^and^materi'al resources,

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E/ECA/NRD/CART/2 7 Page 2 c-~-' \"U>;

As soon'as'?, a secretariat was set up in September 1982, the Association took

:alH" appropriate-measures to strenghiien Its co-operation with the Economic Commission for Africa, the Commission for Geodesy in Africa, whose founder President, Chief Coker, was"also one of the founders" of AAC, the Regional Centre for Services in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (RCSSMRS), the International Association of Geodesy, and all member countries and associate, member "■-'countries int:-order to implement the first phase of the network known as. the AfricanTpoppler Survey. Pro

gramme (ADOS). •'-' " "'"■" '" ' ''■'" ■*"'■■■ ■"-■ ! :" '

1. Co-operation between AAC and ECA > .,;/ -olu'.t*" :.:.'i.l, -21.1::;/;

Such co-operation mainly concerned:

■: >:(a)..'^Perfect co-ordination" during, the Fifth'^United- NatUbns-'Regibhal Carto graphic ConferenceTiforV Africa!."held in" Cairo"'iri-.March!Hi:.983 which resulted in the adoption of the crucial resolutions 7<v), 8{V) and 9(v). Contrary to what had happened/Tin ;the:-past/,these .< resolutions"1 created' a: -ver-itablre'--;he'twbrk of activities in which co-ordinated .■.activities; both between - regional organizations and African countries and between African countries and international organizations and non- African agencies could be inserted;. n.'"_^.-■*„.'<„■ '~-"-T

(b) The proclamation of 1986 as the year of Cartography in Africa and the application of Ad Hoc resolutions 476(XVIII) and CM/RES.980(XLI) respectively ./'adopted ,-by-.-.the1 ^ECAv.Conference -of Ministers ''and the- OAU Council- of*-Ministers. A U.draft-^standard r.programme; Jof. -activities-was ■- jointly: prepared for distribution to

>r..aU:(.:Afr:ican^ countries, li- In -addition," - a .Regional- ^Organization"--- 'Committee1 was

^■established--.to^monitor.-and .promote -all:. continentaio-activities Iparticurafly- the Third Symposium on Geodesy in: Africa held, in^cete1- di'Ivoire'^ih-April^-1986:;- '■■nu

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oif.(cj roThe£, holdings in- .October 19S5- ihÂddis' Ababa; .of â-meetingôf r"an African 9.uPr ofêxperts- .too consider; .the-joint AAC-ECA- study on the^stahdardi'zation of specifications for topographical maps -in- Africa. ■.-..• The-cspecif-icatioris "considered were: the ellipsoid of reference; the system of projection or planimetric plan;

-,.,,the metric, -.scale;.., ,,; k . '. _ - -f: • .. .■-; -.i:. • _. .-. j tc .-■.-.■ _;,,- . .;;.;, VJr;

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The preparation , of . a joint- AAC-Nairobi .Centre1 '-~oEGfi requesf'-fb 'get'-some financing sources to bear the costs of concrete activities a'imed>-'atr-)abcelerating the process of setting up an integrated African geodetic network at the ASOS phase

.-.-,.and,.:the,-.post--ADOS phase;;. fit,, ■ ;■-..: _.<'.:. ;:■ : • ": j<i\. :.•■'

;;-..o«- -m2"- Co-operation between AACrand the Commission'-for Geodesy i(> '">■•■::--v>if,'.-u -c-ljt. -a^ 'in Africa (CGA)r,-, AAC and-the International Assbciatibh- "■>: "J-4:":ot

of Geodesy and. AAC and RCSSMRS .■'.:.-.-. . .: . ;• r --r^--^ , l::'jJ3u;jj..ir

.r: r-.L-.<a) .Exemplary -vco-operation/ was . established- = •amoiig • all<- tHe1 ' a'bbve' agencies r,.1;O,:vg.ive>~ effect:■ f-to,:the recommendations of. the'^fif th-- United -Nationst -Regional

^..^artographic^Conference for, Africa rand to accelerate^the 'fihali-zatibn^bf^the':ADOS project which is the .first - phase.■ of the integrated ■ geodetic' hetworkT-9 Su'c'ri1 co

operation focused mainly on:

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E/ECA/NRD/CART/-27 Page 3

(i) The holding in February and March 1985 of two important training seminars on space geodesy in French at.-Yamoussoukro and : in:.(English at Nairobi;

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~ * "(ii) The firialization of the programmes for the seminars; po;•■■«,•:..-o.t?.

'^l-iC-biJ-i-khf. .iThe/.-'Sensitization^.- of-'., all African-i countries through.,;..diplomatic

*-...i lr i,no?'h.n ^channels^.randj otherwise _,to, ensure : the o participation ;. of •,. .oneicor>;-;two

national experts in the seminars.: vOTwenty-six^Af rican.j. countries

banefitted from the training and a large majority obtained 7-ri-oai.Xa.:.! ■>-■ C9nsiderable, material support; v..,u-;/.o -'-j:.v, ..-■/- (:..■::_..*ir.--* "■>■

..- ..):'O i';.V:i..i»:r\'O -ij;^.f7P'> ■■:. •:■:; >, , . r.; ,■ . '■.';■ nj'.i1 ■.:;;■: .--») ■ :n. o '-.ri-c-^d o vuu:; (iy^ :;:, TheJttraii>ing_-.were,:7Sinoothly;, organized,, and eminent ^African .tandi<npn-

African experts delivered lectures; ...-■. ■:^;^i. ; ra> PMtO m (v) AAC and AIG made a.joint,appeai, to non-member: countries) to-.accelerate

their participation in the ADOS project;

C£A.* i*Ad -IA-G combined their efjEortS: to ^ensure that i the!::third

'■,'■>xi ;-.i. i^:>;%. \vf.-symR9sum~-.on-r?eo<e.?Y ^n ^-Africa ^was a success in., the eyes, of ■/ the ,j.,.-,,-.-- r..- , .ti-x ,.-.■ -h?-sti'COU-nitrX* an,4-°f j African and ,non-African countries;- ^rto"- .■.->■. i»j.;!

(b) AAC has constantly endeavoured to seek a harmoni zation of the positions of African..institutions.onrall current and future aspects of-the integrated: geodetic

(c) Gradual co-operation has also been developed between AAC, CGA and its Gravimetric Committee to^plan,.better, co-ordination .both .with, jrespec.t ..to designing and ^implementing the . Standardi zed. Gravimetric -Network (SGN) in Africa- ■ on-- the basis of experience acquired by the ADOS network. -AAC reiterates-, i.ta; •.willingness si to work towards the rapid implementation of this important network using the study prepared, by the African .Gravimetric ..-Committee. The paper, which,-if delivered at th^f, Symposium( pn^. jGeodesy ,.can be. considered; as a . means of • promoting ; coTOperation

with 'all "institutions likely to C9ntribute.- ^Pending ■the- finalization. iofj the

standardized gravimetric network, AAC invited all African countries to establish

n£^9!??}-, ^.e9detrf)C -and gravimetric-committees in order to • co-ordinate; activities tb~tHis:-project;'- ■•- r"" '' ' ""' -•--■■ • • ,- .7 ;; :~ . ._" ^";,. -r^:u r '.^s =^0 ..,, r.r^-d* ■,,AAC- r, a!?d: >rthei Na^¥o^A c®I}tre.. - .hav9 . established , -close relations and

periodically'exchange information on all the questions-relating to .the-ADOS\project.

However, AAC deplores the ^lack of co-ordination between the two institutions with

,£J^P^-f "£°o .h5^?.ni^:|--ngf theA5; . respective positions particularly ■ ..as■?. regards iritefriatiohal 'is'sues. Trie sole^objective of. AAC is to ensure-that African countries

benefit as much as possible from the spinoffs of such ventures. AAC, which

£??*?•?$**..$$? ^a.\xs?^i- Centreas the. centralizing, agency for: ADOS data^ communicated the "cbmm'ents o'f" Algeria "to "the Nairobi Centre so that, computation centres;, icould

use them as in other countries.

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;3.' -'^ Other 'specific ^activities of AAC ;. ■; ■ ■ --■ 1 .•■.:■'•.-•. '■ -i-r.-r-,..

(a) Establishment under AAC auspices of the_ African Consortium for Data Processing :,^*..:;(•■ .-. _-i- -.•■-■. -■ ,j-.;vr' "? : l! -o;-::.j... -. , r." •' i, )

.")-the ^wrr-hos1' expressed by' several-"- memberL 'countries/ AAC-r undertook

■^appropriate •■ consultations to ^ establish' a1 consortium t'6:-act-:as" the second African

^.Computation Centre>'for fthe ADOS project-.- " '- 1* i.;:.-,:. Lr^ ;<•> .c- n -.■ .fi/.i -■; j ,;.''■ fo[-.:.-.-: :.v^-..-* r. ■ iu- p-i/.r. ■'•. ■'■ -v^;^ '-. i j.-.i-; ij^i

An agreement was very quickly ■r'ea'ch'ed oh ■ ths'- principle""'of establishing a second centre (see resolution U(V) of the Fifth Cartographic Conference) and the

■approval 'n>y "AAC of- '> chat ihitiai-.ive' 'at' t'he^'-sxtrsbrdih'a'ry1' meeting of 'i'ts Council in Cairo on ti Uarcli 19U3. ' k:j:*(.»." \: ■'.-■. L. •■ ,."■;..;■.- ■... Vi .

. i.^..-i .on ithe- basis' <o£- :the-;abbvc' consider'citrons AAC:' ": ^~ '• iCl :<' iV"

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(a) secured in liay 1933 the participation of the three countries signatory

.■ to- the; J final protocol- on' ' thV '"ostablisiiment: xbf tHe African Corisortium" 'for Data -.• Processing, n'aneiy, -Alger-ia,- Cdte "d'ivoire and'''-Tunisia'^J'-fHe"'■- protocol defines

how the Consortium :is'- supposecl-"-Co operate and'' trie' terms'0 of* 'co-operation among its member countries;

Zi'.os.j £.*••;■■■- :i' ". 0-'j ' ".:: T. ::■'.'■:' -(".a ^.' ■%"'i1'<'-t'j >i i'' '. a J «■..:..; m:o ' ^:-.! '; > . ii-: ^

■3i;-'-o.-tb)-. secured" free "cf : -"charge"- fci:1 ea'ch -member !cent're^'bf: • tihe 'Consortium IBM

and HP-1000 GEODO?(vj noftwara. Such softwares are accompanied by all appropriate documents on their integration;

.'.-I :-,;{■. .■-..■ . . '■■ .-. . .)..!.;.■'/.'■• ' .- "■■■• ■■: o^i. :. \0: ..-.t-\o--^~ "■ ' ') •-'

■;j;j .i^-^-c-) ^Carried' ouc^ all"' activities "-ll'Kely-"to - make-:'the Consortium operational

■and.' to'-' promote'1-the' exchange' ;of- info'nriac.'i'6'ri:":io ■'"soive :'problems' arising1' from",the

•'.initial-/operation-' of* -the -Consortium; ■- ■' •"•;-"- '• -u-'-" ■''■ ' va •■>: -i^'c'-1- j ■"■':'i -'j:1-:^ "

s ','•; * ;. ■ 1 i; J- 1.;; ,_■ ,-■>' ".■. » on " i\ . in™:" „ ;. ;, "', jc^ ■ i-.J": .. ' ■' v. t 1-1 ,{£>*: -'1 » •'•■* ■ «". v> - r:''1.1

»/> rj;:--(-d) '.'Set- up-- a'-- ve-ry»< ler'gG tape' '-Library■reohtaining"'"all the' data ^alr^aSy

-integrated'into the"JftDOS • network 'ar.H used in P-a.11- the data'pro'cesoiiig work'undertaken

^by the African". Consortium for^'Data Processing1."^' O1 "■'• ' ' ■"^'5^: ?--' -•-^•"i ! ''■ li7-'-''

:D.;.i:i;-'-.- < ■* i- ' ■ " "-'- ;- ."■J*-1i.* j- «. -' jj :> ..•;' ^ -■ :i %''■"> !' : ■ :a ;ur. (.v 1 ;. ;v.,i,:iu.c:^^

-•'''■;•■*( b)r Makir.g'tthe. Craen'i'aaifioh'' of ■African'-' Unity '(6Au)'' awrire "of '"'the ' importance

of the integrated qeodacic network "' •-■<■"■-■ -—-- --

«c >Aware 1 of the' !• impdirtarioe :-Vf * the ''integrated African .geodetic,".' network' 'and ..its - scientific'* and'!practical: j.!rij)licr.tions; 'r* ' i<J'*'"J " '"'OA ' -"'OT l" •-"-■■'■"■- ;: i-> ■-•■-f - .

."'■ • •:»-' Bearing■ in •-'mind'10 the"""'d'i^fi'culties^'''encountered *?by . several' countries' ^

^participating in'th^project; ; J': ' -1''p '';--v^-"-:' ' - '" ^■-'■^"^•- J-- ■■^■-.^'- -'

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E/ECA/NRD/CART/27 Page ^

tbJ Making the Organization of African Unity (O&.U) aware of the importance of the integrated geodetic network

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w,,.r.. Aware. ,of■> the, impor,tance..,of . the -integrated.,African geodetic network and its . scientific .and practical .implications; ■ , \ ' . .._ . - . ;j .

.'■ . ..Conyincad ,., ..that, ...this , .continental „ , venture is" .a'" .decisive phase in the implementacion , of^ ,the.'^.recommendations, .of the ,Lagos Plan rof , Action and has been approved by the highest African political authorities;

,. .Beaming, in mind. ..the..,, difficulties, , encountered ,,bv. seynral.^ countries , . in participating in the project ?,r sJ.; Qaj ,. ._^JV^3:j t.vO.:,I .,, ^iT;,., L.,_ .:,:^o-i:j lo

AAC, in pursuance of the Ad Hoc resolution adopted, by the Fourth-Meeting

of its Council in Dakar in December 1903 submitted to the Forty-first 'session

...,of .,,.the ,OiUJ .Council of. . Ministers, vheld ,in Adctis. .Ababa , in-. February . 1935 an.important .. document, highlighting. ^Afric.a Vs „ backwardness in .- ,che matter '.and .the., need to. .obtain political support in, order, t to ..accelerate ..the. .implementation.,, of such, ,-scientific ventures through interAfrican and international co-operation.

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■ '„ .,A, major resolution was .adopted, in ,.uhat ,.respecc ,It is. an...ideal .framework .which, provides.. ,po.litical support,.. not only - for., the. - completion of ADOS,..but, also ,for itst, post-phase tcontinuatio'n..^.o.;continueriwork on.the, post-ADOS phases.,, ^^^ ^_rt . . i j.\ "'! ''\ • .7---:-.^-;;: ''.rf\ .i.>. .-;..;? ■■■:■■-. ;;.q:v.o ■::.; i-1: ,-:;uo" J rt-"i ,!."■.. 't^. Lf irf i\-j-:v: :i\cr~:~- OJ. iii\ ;i. riJ y,-i-

<c) Implementation of the post-ADOS ..phase .., , ,r._ -■ -,.. . ... . .. .^..- „,. , - -

AAC has also undertaken, through the many contacts developed with its members and associate members and with IAG and CGA, the formulation of the major outlines of the post-ADOS programme aimed at consolidating achievements and initiating the implementation of selected projects as soon as African countries give their final approval to the designs.

(d) Training

Two other major activities were undertaken by AAC. The first involved informing African countries about the offer made by Geokart of Poland to train Africans which is contained in Resolution 7(V) of the Fifth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Africa held in Cairo in March 1933. Several African institutions have availed themselves of that offer and have even considered extending the training to modules which are crucial to the development of their institutions.

AAC reiterates its .total commitment to strengthening ties of co-operation among its members and associate members aimed at promoting the development of cartography in Africa.

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E/ECA/WRD/CART/2 7

The second activity concerns the survey undertaken in all member countries lio identify'training "needs' and"'existing 'training institutions in1 Africa that cover -

one or several aspects of geographical sciences'." "The findings of the survey1'have -r

been published in an Ad Hoc document. Apart from the relevant kAC resolutions, 'fj ''it should' be recalled that th'e survey'is 'partially in response" to Resolution b(V)

1 adopted by'the Fifth'uni'ted Nations Regional Cartographic Conferences''for'Africa.11

In addition to the survey, AAC undertook all appropriate steps to bring about

■ the' establishment""of: an- evaluation'mission' brv training needs'*and on th'e utilization

of profiles additional to those provided by the He Ife "Centre." ' ''' ^;:- '"' '' -'

"4:- - Conclusion ■ )!l- ' r" ' h r': ' r:jrft" " ^ "'■ -■''■*

■''"-■' :'Despite itsv very :modest-"financial and'-h'uroari resources/l 'AAC1' has" spared" 'no

efforts' to contribute to' ch"e implemcntaciori of;this crucial?'prdjecti 'It heartily

'^hank's all those who directly or indirectly facilitated its task. '"'"' ' " '

>.

In view of its past experiences and convinced of the urgent need to pool

^'Africa's modest1" material and human resources together, AAC hopes''that realistic,

^efficient* and * rational* solutions will- be adopted'-'aimed "at greater1 co-ordination of all existing machineries and' better' harmonization lof" their 'activities' in 'line

with the collective wish of all African countries expressed in Resolution 477(XVIII) of the ECA Conference of Ministers of -I-Jarch-l-9a4. '■ -•-"- - •- -■-—-- '.--^-^- ~r----

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