UNITAR and OICT collaborate on GIS and satellite imagery analysis

10 March 2016, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) represented by its Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director, Mr. Nikhil Seth, and the United Nations Secretariat Office of Information and Communications Technology (UN OICT) represented by the Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer, Ms. Atefeh Riazi, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in New York.

UNITAR and UN OICT have agreed to establish a general framework of collaboration between the two organizations in the areas of geospatial information, Geographic Information System (GIS), satellite derived analysis and mapping, expert services and support, and capacity-building.

The areas of collaboration includes satellite imagery analysis, space maps, geospatial data and specialized services throughout the full disaster management cycle, as well as the joint capacity-building of partners in support of UN OICT’s work to equip United Nations personnel with modern tools and processes for improved collaboration across departments, offices and agencies.

​It is expected that UNITAR will extend to UN OICT, through UNOSAT, services that it provides to the United Nations system including, but not limited to, support on specific emergencies or in preparation for potential emergencies, including all aspects of its objective satellite imagery analysis in the event of natural, technological or conflict-related disasters