Ibadan, 21 December 2023. – The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) has officially joined the GEO Group of Earth Observations Associate after it was formally endorsed at the 61st GEO Executive Committee and communicated during the GEO Week and Ministerial Summit held in Cape Town last month. There are currently 31 African Government members within GEO.
GEO’s global multi-disciplinary network connects governments, academia, research institutions and increasingly, the private sector, seeking to actively improve and coordinate global EO systems and promote vast open data sharing. Through this collaborative network, gaps in current solutions are more readily identifiable, as well as a reduction in the duplication of efforts. Looking down from space – using satellites to observe Earth phenomena and activity is an extremely exciting opportunity for countries around the world, where these EO technologies can assist with the mitigation of social and environmental risks and help solve long-existing challenges.
Imraan Saloojee, an executive at RIIS, commented, “Our rich experience in space advisory work, which currently includes space innovation ecosystem development for African governments, will benefit further from direct participation in cutting-edge discussions on earth observation. Particularly our membership will help deepen our engagements with the global earth observation community, including political, scientific and end-user groupings.”
Following the meeting in early November, the GEO Group of Earth Observations adopted the 2023 Cape Town Ministerial Declaration. The Declaration endorses the GEO Post-2025 Strategy Earth Intelligence for All, which seeks to continue GEO’s leadership in coordinating and enabling the provision and use of EO across scales, sectors, and geographies. Furthermore, the Declaration commits GEO to developing an implementation plan to guide the execution of the Strategy and reaffirms the integral role of young people as important players in the drive towards sustainable development.
