Ethiopia Leads in Contributing to Africa's Geospatial, Space Observation: ECA Official

Addis Ababa, October 19, 2026 (ENA) — Ethiopia is making significant contributions to Africa’s efforts to advance geospatial information and space observation for data driven development planning and evidence-based policymaking, a senior official of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has said.
Speaking exclusively to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), Andre Nonguierma, Chief of ECA’s Geospatial Information Management Section, highlighted Ethiopia’s progress in developing national space capabilities and applying satellite-based technologies to support development.

He noted that Ethiopia’s satellite launches and growing use of Earth observation systems have strengthened its capacity to collect essential data for national planning, policymaking and development monitoring.

Nonguierma described geospatial information as critical infrastructure for sustainable development, explaining that reliable location based data enables governments to identify community needs, guide infrastructure development and track progress over time.

He emphasized the need for African countries to strengthen regional cooperation and pool resources to develop integrated geospatial and Earth observation systems linked to official statistics.

Such integration, he said, would help countries improve development planning, strengthen evidence-based policymaking and make more informed decisions.

Nonguierma also highlighted Ethiopia’s engagement in global geospatial governance, citing its role on the bureau of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM).

Echoing his views, Nonmcebo Nkonyane-Simelane, a land surveyor at the Surveyor General’s Department of the Kingdom of Eswatini, said Ethiopia’s achievements in geospatial information management offer valuable lessons for other African countries.

She stressed that continental cooperation enables countries to share experiences, learn from established practices and strengthen their national geospatial capabilities.

They made the remarks during the Tenth Session of the Statistical Commission for Africa, held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa.

Convened under the theme “Unleashing the Value of Data in Africa: Making Official Statistics a True Mirror of the Continent,” the session brings together African statistical leaders and international development partners to strengthen statistical systems and enhance the contribution of data to development policy.

The  event also includes the Twelfth Meeting of the Regional Committee of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa (UN-GGIM: Africa), which focuses on using geospatial information to promote sustainable development and monitor progress.

The meetings aim to strengthen Africa’s statistical systems through greater technical cooperation, improved data integration and collaborative approaches to evidence-based policymaking.