News in 2018

Africa Regional Network: Challenges and Opportunities in Facing the SDG’s  

21-23 November 2017 - Musanze, Rwanda

FIG Vice President Diane Dumashie led the Annual Africa Regional Network Capacity Development workshop held on 21 - 23rd November 2017 partnering with ESRI Rwanda and hosted by the Institute of Applied Science- Ruhengeri (INES).

In the context of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cites) the workshop focused on urban & rural relationships, specifically linked to infrastructure networks.  It was led by Vice President Diane Dumashie who facilitated the training assisted by Kasper Kundert (ESRI Rwanda), Jossam Potel (INES) and indispensably on logistics was Mireille Biraio (INES). Importantly ARN was supported by professionals from the Africa Young Surveyors Network, namely Taiye Taiwo, Sam Kingsley and Daniel Brown.

Over the two day ARN workshop, in attendance were 50 land professionals, drawn from across the spectrum of land survey, valuation, QS and planning and who travelled from across the Africa continent. 

Vice President Diane Dumashie, Dr Jossam Potel, INES Rector Father Dr. Fabien Hegenimama

Of particular importance was the attendance by Rwandan land professionals who are facing the challenge to establish their own national association. FIG workshops such as this demonstrate support to their endeavours.

The ARN 2017 cohorts left Kigali together on Tuesday 21st January, their journey was spectacular through the stunning Rwandan scenery of multiple valleys (the country is known as the ‘Switzerland of Africa with its mountains, valleys and dairy herds!), on arrival at INES the ARN 2017 cohort were treate to a warm and informative welcome hosted by INES Rector Father Dr. Fabien Hegenimama.

Rwanda stunning landscape on the route from Kigali to INES with a volcano backdrop

The high profile opening of the workshop included the delivery of key notes and welcome speeches from the Bishop of Ruhengeri - Musanze , and the Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Lands, with Dr. D. Dumashie providing an overview of FIG and wrap up words before the reception finale of traditional dance by INES students. The Rector then hosted the ARN 2017 cohorts to a traditional buffet lunch.

The Bishop of Ruhengeri - Musanze

ARN 2017 Cohort

The theme - “What does it take for land professionals to lead and support Nation state’s infrastructure endeavours”  - appealed to those wishing to have an understanding how the international land governance initiatives, interface with large scale infrastructure sectors including working groups on national roads, railway, water schemes, renewable energy, airports, and telecom/ digital, all specifically in the context of the SDG11 (Cities) 

Rwandan’s and Ghanaian’s in group work

ARN 2017 Cohort

On workshop Day 1 our workshop focus was on:

  • Trends: to improve and recognise the nature of urbanisation in the context of SDG11 and infrastructure, and recap on what it means for good governance;
  • Talent: to be more familiar with the nature of Leadership: theory & applied, enabling a clear understanding of personal skill development;
  • Technology: to expose delegates to the role of Geospatial technology innovations for land tenure security and land management in East Africa and led by ESRI Rwanda.

Ultimately, the workshop seeks to build land professionals awareness and confidence to lead strategic change and make a positive impact.

Demonstrated in the context of the inter- relationships of urban/rural linkages and infrastructure networks the participants considered our professional role within this relationship considering the opportunity land professionals could make to improve the delivery of critical infrastructure, recognising the extent of the land professional skill sets (and other professions) to provide sustainable development and building livelihoods.

This revolved around linking the following:

  • Urbanisation: Global trends related to SDG11
  • Infrastructure: Recognition that infrastructure is one of the first  key investment
  • Our Focus: provision of social and physical networked assets yet maintaining the inter-linkage of the Urban-Rural relationships

 Engaging and participation is an important design feature of the ARN workshops, accordingly deliberations included group work:

  • How:
    • The land and property professional engages with People in their Places, in the context of urban/ rural infrastructure networks thus ensuring societal beneficial development
    • Noting that Urban- Rural linkages is about the network between these areas and what goes on in-between

And

  • What:
    • Articulating what this means, requiring the development of an outline stakeholder engagement methodology that is capable of informing appropriate practices and disseminated by member associations

The workshop was designed to complement ESRI- Rwanda contribution on workshop Day 2.

Specifically Kasper Kundert (ESRI Rwanda) focused on technology and the role of Geospatial technology innovations for land tenure security and land management in East Africa. Featured prominently will be the Geoportals developed and operationalized at Rwandan Authorities, as well as it´s land – a current consortium approach seeking to deliver an innovative suite of land tenure recording tools that responds to sub Saharan Africa’s immense challenge to rapidly and cheaply map millions of unrecognized land rights in the region.

The Bishop of Ruhengeri - Musanze

ARN 2017 Cohort

The workshop was implemented with the now trademark, highly participatory design and fast pace enabling the participants to: overview and discover principles and practices, design, develop and communicate key engagements messages.  Their outline stakeholder engagements outputs will be captured refined and delivered at the FIG Congress in Istanbul, Turkey.

 Happily, it is not all hard work! The ARN 2017 cohorts were further treated to a tour of the INES campus that has a fabulous backdrop of the Volcanoes. It was agreed by all, that the three days were informative, productive and above all mixed with some fun as the workshop concluded with the opportunity of a field trip guided through the caverns and caves of Musanze.

Leisure and fun at the Musanze caves and caverns

More information about the Africa Regional Network can be found here.

The program, presetations and procedings are linked here.