State of Cartographic Services among the East African Community Member States

Sabina N Baariu,Galcano C Mulaku,David N Siriba

doi:10.4236/jgis.2019.111005

Sabina N Baariu, Galcano C Mulaku + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2019.111005

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Abstract

The East African Community is a regional block that brings together Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan into various forms of economic partnership, the eventual dream being to achieve political federation. The current activities within this community, plus the block’s further development, require the generation and sharing of much geo-information to support the attendant decision-making. Such geo-information can be best served through a harmonized cartographic service with common standards. Such a harmonized service is not only lacking, but even the status of the current national services is also largely unknown. This paper reports on a study undertaken to establish this status, as represented by twelve elements of a cartographic service that the authors are able to establish. Results of the study have shown that the present national services are characterized by inadequate basic datasets that remain largely analogue. In addition, there are non-uniform spatial reference systems, inadequate cartographic human resources and lack of common mapping standards; further, funding for mapping activities remains low in national budgets. Given that over 80% of decisions are influenced by geo-spatial data, these findings point to an urgent need to improve, harmonize and digitize these services as the way forward, if the East African Community is to remain globally competitive.

Highlights

IntroductionThe East African Community (EAC) is based on the EAC Treaty, which states, inter-alia, that “the Partner States undertake to establish among themselves and in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, a Customs Union, a Common Market, subsequently a Monetary Union and a Political Federation in order to strengthen and regulate the industrial, commercial, infrastructural, cultural, social, political and other relations of the Partner States to the end that there shall be accelerated, harmonious and balanced development and sustained expansion of economic activities, the benefit of which shall be equitably shared”
Given that over 80% of decisions are influenced by geo-spatial data, these findings point to an urgent need to improve, harmonize and digitize these services as the way forward, if the East African Community is to remain globally competitive
The cartographic services of East Africa are very significant in the development of National Spatial Data Infrastructures (NSDI) in the individual countries, which could in time be linked into an East African Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure (RSDI) for even better data sharing and information commerce in the region

Summary

Introduction

The EAC is based on the EAC Treaty, which states, inter-alia, that “the Partner States undertake to establish among themselves and in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, a Customs Union, a Common Market, subsequently a Monetary Union and a Political Federation in order to strengthen and regulate the industrial, commercial, infrastructural, cultural, social, political and other relations of the Partner States to the end that there shall be accelerated, harmonious and balanced development and sustained expansion of economic activities, the benefit of which shall be equitably shared” The realization of these objectives requires a robust cartographic service to provide accurate and reliable cartographic information and services in an effective and efficient way as sustainable development requires access to data, information, knowledge and understanding about the environment and natural resources including socio-economic opportunities [2]. Such SDI development is still at very initial stages in all the countries (except Rwanda), and the need to document the state of cartographic services in the different countries; if these are improved, each country will move a little closer to the realization of its NSDI [3] [4] [5]

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