VIENNA, 6 April (UN Information Service) — The United Nations Office
for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA), within the framework of the United Nations
Programme on Space Applications, is organizing a five-day Regional Workshop
on the Use of Space Technology for Natural Resources Management,
Environmental Monitoring and Disaster Management in Khartoum, Sudan, from 4
to 8 April 2004. The Workshop is being organized in co-operation with the
European Space Agency (ESA) and the Government of Sudan, and is hosted by
the National Centre for Research of Sudan.

Space technologies play an important role in the area of natural
resources management, environmental monitoring and disaster management. In
particular, remotely sensed data provides a unique view of the Earth for
studies that require synoptic or periodic observations such as inventory,
surveying and monitoring in agriculture; hydrography, geology, mineralogy,
land cover, land use and environment. Remote sensing is a rapidly growing
technology and is one of the important spin-offs of space applications and
space science, working side-by-side with other disciplines such as
photogrammetry, cartography, geodetic reference systems, global navigation
satellite systems and geographic information systems.

The primary goal of this Regional Workshop is to contribute to the
ongoing effort to integrate space technologies into operational programmes
in Africa and Western Asia, with a focus on natural resources management,
environmental monitoring and disaster management. It is expected that the
Workshop will result in the launching of one or more pilot projects into
which interested national institutions could incorporate and test the use
of space technologies. The pilot projects would be designed and carried out
through international cooperation and would be aimed at producing synergy
among regional initiatives being conducted by various organizations.

In order to achieve its goals, the Workshop will comprise presentation
sessions that will demonstrate the successful use of space technology in
the areas of disaster management, environmental monitoring and natural
resources management. In discussion sessions, the workshop participants
will form smaller groups to discuss specific topics that could lead to the
development of a plan of action and pilot project profiles.

The Workshop will build upon several on-going initiatives, including the
goals addressed in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, the Plan of
Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the work
being carried out by the various Action Teams established by the United
Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to implement the
recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration
and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), as well as the
International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’, the Africover Project of
the Food and Agriculture Organization and ESA’s Tiger Project.

The Workshop will be attended by experts, decision makers and
practitioners from the following countries and international organizations:
Algeria, Belgium, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya,
Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Food Programme, World Health
Organization, European Space Agency, Intergovernmental Authority on
Development and OOSA.

The United Nations Programme on Space Applications is implemented by the
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and works to improve the use
of space science and technology for the economic and social development of
all nations, in particular developing countries. Under the Programme, the
Office conducts training courses, workshops, seminars and other activities
on applications and capacity building in subjects such as remote sensing,
communications, satellite meteorology, search and rescue, basic space
science, satellite navigation and space law.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) implements the
decisions of the General Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses
of Outer Space and its two Subcommittees, the Scientific and Technical
Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee. The Office is responsible for
promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space,
and assisting developing countries in using space science technology.
Located in Vienna, Austria, OOSA maintains a website at
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org

United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS)
P.O.Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: (+43-1) 26060 4666, FAX: (+43-1) 26060 5899
Email: UNIS@unvienna.org