Cartographic activity in Mali : submitted by the Government of the Republic of Mali

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND

SOCIAL COUNCIL

Distr.

LTMIOED

E/CN.14/CAET/168

20 July 1966 ENGLISH

Original: FRENCH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Second United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Afrioa Tunis (Tunisia) 12 - 24 September

Provisional agenda item 7 1966

CARTOGRAPHIC ACTIVIST IN MALI

Submitted by the Go-rernment of the Republic of Mali

M66-962

■E/CS.14/CART/168

CARTOGRAPHIC ACTIVITY IN MALI

In Mali, fundamental cartographic work (air photographic coverage,

I astronomical control network, general levelling and small soale maps) has

been undertaken by the National Geographical Institute of Paris which has continued to oarry out these activities. The achievement is shown on the

index maps-^ submitted by the Institute to the Conference, giving the

status of mapping up to 1 January I966,

Although the maps on the scale of 1:200,000 are adequate for a general

inventory of natural resources and for preliminary studies of the teohnioal

requirements of a project, they can no longer serve a useful purpose, onoe this first phase of development is over and the period of exploitation

begins.

In order to meet the pressing needs of the technical services for a standard topographioal map on a medium scale (1:50,000) to conduct their studies, as well as tackle the problems arising from the rapid development in real estate, the Government of Mali decided in 1962 to reorganize pro gressively the National Topographical Institute,

For practical and psychological reasons, the National Ibpographioal Institute is to be split up into two services, with new names and different

functions.

!• A Cadastral Service exclusively conoerned with questions of real -estate and fiscal matters. A cadastral nucleus unit was established in

I964 with the task of working out a method of organization which would

be best suited to the social set-up of Mali. Its activities are to be extended as its staff increases, and will gradually be developed to become the real estate section of the National Topographical Institute, which will continue to be responsible for carrying out large scale individual local surveys (1:5,000 maximum),

1/ See E/CN.14/CART/l55/Add.l.

e/CN.14/CAET/i68

Page 2

2. A Geographical Institute will be set up with responsibility for

producing geographical maps and carrying out special topographical surveys. I The equipment which the Institute will eventually possess, will put * it in a position to undertake every kind of cartographic activity with

its own resources, except the taking of aerial photographs and the print ing of maps, which will be left to private enterprise or to a common centre for specialized services to be set up by the United Nations.

Its first task will be to carry out a second order geodetic network covering areas of economic interest. This network will serve as the basis for medium and large scale topographical maps, as well as for the integra tion of cadastral surveys and hydrographic surveys.

In addition to geodetic activity, the Institute will be entrusted with the task of executing various topographical and cartographic work required for technical studies of roads, waterways, irrigation etc.,.

The gradual supply to the Institute of geodetic and photogrammetrio equipment as well as material for the reproduction of photographs, has been the objective of a programme, the first phase of which extends up to 1970, and is being financed from resources of the country and a United Nations Teohnical Assistance project.

It is expected that at the end of its initial phase, the Geographioal Institute will be able to carry out the following tasks:

- all ground surveys (geodetic networks by triangulation, trilateral tion, traverse, stereopreparation, precise levelling and barometric levelling, field completion etc..)

- radial triangulation and photogrammetric plotting with lower order instruments which are suitable for maps on the scale of 1:50,000.

- compilation of maps.

- photographic reproduction.

Aerial triangulation and precision plotting with first and second order machines will be tackled during the second phase of the institu+e,

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unless these aotiviti^? n^n be ^.-nder+aken "by s- common centre for special—

t ized servicesj mentioned aboveo

• The question of training Mali ci-vil servants has "been studied since

I962, and is in the process of being satisfactorily resolved.

High level "cadres", all of whom will have graduated from higher

centres of learning in Europe (les Grandes Ecoles d'Europe) will "be in office before 1968O The operational "cadres" to "be trained at the Section of Engineer—Cartographers of the National School of Engineers at Bamako, should "be filled up by 1969« The operators are being recruited and trained at the Institute.

Although it is desirable that the planning of important cartographio activity to "be undertaken by the Institute should be sufficiently flexible to meet adequately any fluctuations in the country's economic development, it is none the less absolutely necessary that such planning should conform to strict basic criteria, designed to ensure the homogeneity of all carto graphic work achieved0

Even if for obvious emergency reasons and for reasons of economy, the oartographic work at the initial period has to be confined to indivi dual local areas of varyi.^p1 ^rpo^tar.^ej measiree^ havo be^n taken to carry out the work systematically with second order accuracy, even at the risk of

having at a later date to irake the over—all adjustment whioh, in any case, is inevitable when connecting tho individual network with the first order 12 North parallel network,,

With regard to the priority to "be given to the various work to be undertaken, this is the responsibility of the rational Commission on Cartography, established in 196% All tho cervices, which are users of maps are represented on this Comniittoo.