VIENNA/PRAGUE, 10 November (UN Information Service) – The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) opened its ninth meeting today at the Prague Headquarters of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) to work on improving coordination among providers of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). “Significant progress continues to be made through the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems to support sustainable development throughout the world,” said the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Simonetta Di Pippo, at the opening.  

The Ninth Meeting of the ICG runs from 10 to 14 November and is an opportunity for GNSS providers to present the status and future plans for their systems, and an opportunity for the ICG members, associate members and observers to provide updates on recent developments with regard to GNSS services and applications.

The ICG was established in 2005 under the umbrella of the United Nations to promote coordination among providers of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), in particular for sustainable development. The ICG secretariat is provided by UNOOSA.

Referring to the work of UNOOSA under its Programme on GNSS Applications, UNOOSA Director, Simonetta Di Pippo, highlighted that efforts to build capacity in space science and technology are considered a major focus of the Office and provide a major springboard for the transfer and enhancement of skills and knowledge to nations that wished to engage in GNSS science, technology and education.

The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), established in 2005 under the umbrella of the United Nations, promotes voluntary cooperation on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based positioning, navigation, timing, and value-added services. To support the work of ICG, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) was designated as the Executive Secretariat of ICG. In that capacity UNOOSA is organizing regional workshops, training courses and international meetings focusing on capacity-building in the use of GNSS-related technologies in various rapidly growing fields of science and industry. See http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/SAP/gnss/icg.html  

For further information, please contact:

Sinead Harvey

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-8718

Email: sinead.harvey[at]unoosa.org