Chinese technology firm, Supermap International, signed an agreement with Kenya's Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) on Wednesday, aimed at enhancing the East African nation's proficiency in geospatial technology.

The agreement entails training for over 70 Kenyan government officials, academics and private sector individuals in advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) over the course of one year, said Director of DRSRS Moses Akali. "The collaboration between DRSRS and Supermap International seeks to bolster Kenya's institutional capacity in utilizing space-derived products, services and customized tools for diverse needs in natural resource management, planning, and monitoring," Akali said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2023 Supermap GIS software innovation conference, themed "GIS Innovations for Rapid Spatial Data Analysis and 3D Modeling for Sustainable Development in Kenya and Beyond," Akali stressed Kenya's interest in harnessing Supermap's advanced technologies in such fields as big data, artificial intelligence, 3D modeling, distributed GIS and cross-platform GIS, which would enable the country to develop robust solutions for urban planning, cadastral mapping, natural resource management, traffic monitoring and land valuation planning.

Moreover, Akali said that by integrating remote sensing data processing and interpretation capabilities into GIS technologies, Supermap would facilitate Kenya's more efficient application of geospatial data, which could extend to areas such as food security, natural disaster monitoring and management, climate change and carbon emission control.

Roger Wang, president of Supermap International, expressed the company's commitment to establishing partnership relationships with various Kenyan agencies, including influential universities and companies.

He noted that this partnership would serve as a solid platform for Supermap to better support Kenya's socioeconomic development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).