The Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council's Strategy for 2017-2027 was launched by Tonga's Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva and the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Andrew Ford, at the Tanoa Hotel yesterday evening, April 10.

Chairman of the PGSC, and the Director of Tuvalu Lands and Survey Department, Mr Faatasi Malologa stressed at the Nuku'alofa meeting this week that “We need to work with regional partners to advance geospatial and surveying services in the region. Geospatial and surveying information is of particular importance to the Pacific Islands region, as it is crucial for monitoring and analysing the impacts of disasters and climate change in near real-time for adaptation, mitigation, and risk reduction purposes."

The Strategy is the first for the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council (PGSC) since it was established in 2014, and the product of several years of collaborative consultation among members, development partners, with the support of the Australian government’s Climate and Ocean Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac). It was during these meetings that the Council was first envisaged and a charter governing its mission and objectives was developed.  The charter has been formally endorsed by 11 Pacific Island governments.

The Pacific Community (SPC) Geoscience Division has established the PGSC Partnership Desk to provide secretariat and support services for the PGSC.

On Tuesday, 10 April, the day before the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council Strategy for 2017-2027 was launched in Nuku’alofa, the PGSC and the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors NZIS signed a memorandum of Understanding.

Ms Rebecca Strang, President of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors NZIS said following the signing of the MOU that the NZIS will assist in advocating for the development of capability in the Pacific.

The PGSC is made up of national geospatial and surveying authorities of Pacific Island Countries and territories. Current members are: Cook Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Republic of Marshall Islands, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

With regards to the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council Strategy for 2017-2027, Chairman, Faatasi stressed that upgrading the standards of geospatial and surveying methods in the Pacific Islands region is critical, to improving decision-making in matters of land, marine and natural resource management. Accurate mapping, positioning, monitoring and data availability is of primary importance to our region’s economic growth as it has a direct impact on key sectors such as shipping, land tenure, engineering and coastal development, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry and agriculture and tourism.

“I am proud to say that since the establishment of the PGSC in 2014, we have witnessed steady growth in council participation as well as growing support from Pacific Island governments and external development partners,” he said.