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CONTENTSReport from CEOS Workshop on Developing Country Activties---This page
Activities of CEOS Ad Hoc Working Group on Networks
Second CEOS User Requirements Workshop
FAO Contribution to Developing Countries
Fourth CEOS Ad Hoc Data Policy Meeting
The International Directory Network (IDN)
Report from CEOS Workshop on Developing Country Activities
CEOS Activities in 1994/News Highlights/CEOS Meeting Calendar
Report from CEOS Workshop on Developing Country Activities
Robert Pereira da CunhaCoordinator of Institutional Relations
The Instituto National de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
- With the recommendation of the 7th Plenary Session, the Instituto Nacional
de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) hosted a CEOS workshop from 16 to 18 May,
1994, at their headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo-Brazil. It
was attended by representatives from 11 CEOS members from all parts of
the world, plus six observers and affiliates members. Many of the participants
had first-hand experience of the use of satellite data in developing countries,
and this no doubt accounted for the essentially practical approach which
characterised the workshop.
The workshop was chaired by the hosts, Dr. M. N. Barbosa, Director of INPE and Dr. R. P. da Cunha, Coordinator of Institutional Relations of INPE. Representatives of the Space Agency Forum (SAF), the Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) of Argentina also attended the meeting. At the start of the meeting, participants had the opportunity to hear about the establishment of the new Brazilian Space Agency from its President, Dr. L. G. M. Filho. Dr. Filho stressed the particular personal interest in Earth Observation, and assured participants that his new agency would certainly continue to support the work of CEOS.
Mr. H. Seipel of DARA, on behalf of the CEOS Chairman, congratulated INPE for having taken the initiative to hold this very timely workshop, the results of which will provide a valuable input to the discussion on developing countries which will take place at the 8th CEOS Plenary Session in Berlin in September, 1994. The DARA Chairman intends to make this subject one of the major items for discussion during the 1994 Plenary.
The first part of the workshop was devoted to a series of presentations from participants, describing their current and planned Earth Observation programmes of relevance to developing countries. A number of other CEOS members, unable to attend the meeting, had provided explanatory material which was also tabled.
Dr. B Bizzarri the representative of the Italian Space Agency was present and, as Chairman of the SAF Focus Group on the Spread of Benefit of the Mission to Planet Earth towards Developing Countries, he was able to present an advanced draft of his group's report which is to be given to the next SAF Plenary Session in Buenos Aires on 14-15 November, 1994. This coordination enabled the workshop to ensure the maximum compatibility between the recommendations being made to the SAF Plenary and those to be presented from INPE Workshop to the CEOS Plenary.
The material provided during this first part, and the ensuing discussion, made an interesting and appropriate background against which the workshop could address its main objective: to identify suitable CEOS actions in support of developing countries.
Introducing this second part, Dr. da Cunha tabled a helpful background paper and the first draft of a plan of action to be recommended to the CEOS Plenary. Participants were unanimous in supporting the Chairman's aim to produce a set of concrete recommendations.
The discussions centered on two areas:
-actions which CEOS could and should under take(subject to Plenary approval), either through the Secretariat, through individual initiatives on behalf of CEOS, or via our respective agency programmes; and
-general principles for successful work with developing countries, based on the experience of the workshop participants.
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