| 
	  News in 2018
  | 
	FIG Vice President Orhan Ercan attends Euroasian GIS Congress 2018
		4-7 September 2018, Baku Azerbaijan
		
			
				|  
 
FIG Vice President Orhan Ercan gave an address on behalf of FIG 
				in the Opening Ceremony | The Euroasian GIS 2018 Congress was held on September 4-7 in 
				Baku. I joined the Congress as Vice President of FIG. I made the 
				opening speech on the opening ceremony on 4 September 2018. 
				Approximately 300 people attended the congress. It is necessary 
				to implement works on identification and prevention of different 
				problems through taking big advantages enabled by Geographic 
				Information Systems, usable in analyzing sustainable 
				socio-economic development of regions and countries. | 
		
		Congresses in this direction confirm that this event can play a 
		significant role in the establishment of scientific, economic, political 
		and cultural relationship between the countries in the field of 
		scientific cooperation and communication among scientists and 
		specialists of the region, as well as discussing the acquired scientific 
		and experimental materials.
		
		
			
				|  | One of the attributes of the implementation of the orders and 
		instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev 
		on the establishment of e-government in the country, the structure of 
		spatial data and their placement on government portals is the 
		development of GIS technologies throughout the country, the study and 
		the application of theoretical issues of these technologies in practice. 
		Relatedly, the held Congress was focused on the discussing and sharing 
		of practical issues and carrying of innovative analysis in the field of 
		Geographic Information Systems, as well as the combining of efforts of 
		the representatives of science and research, representatives of the NGOs 
		and government entities.  | 
		
		Taking into consideration the importance of applying modern 
		technologies based on the Geographical Information Systems, the 
		interpretation and analysis of remote sensing data, and also the use of 
		space images, the followings are taken into decision:
		
			- Improvement of geographical information systems, spatial 
			database structures and spatial analyses by carrying wide scientific 
			researches and also relevant tuitions and trainings at the level of 
			modern requirements, as well as conduction of training of highly 
			qualified personnel is needed.
- The role and application of GIS analyses in prior revealing of 
			threats and preventing of disasters must be considerably promoted, 
			with based on use of environmental monitoring, as well as management 
			of natural disasters and natural resources.
- Establishing a database and contributing to development of 
			agricultural branches through applying GIS analyses in researches on 
			land resources, water and climate, as well as cadaster issues, land 
			planning and management would favor the increasing of the share of 
			non-oil sector within national economies, and particularly in 
			Azerbaijani economy.
- Conduction of studies on climate change, tectonic movements, 
			desertification and other global problems makes necessary to foster 
			works on establishing the international database with using the GNSS 
			methods, remote sensing and geodetic measurements.
		
		
FIG Vice President Orhan Ercan together with the Turkish delegation at the Congress 
		and Prof Dr Ferruh Yıldız, co-Congress director, standing to the 
		left of Orhan Ercan. Turkish delegates included Sedat Bakıcı, head of 
		the Department of information technologies at central cadastre 
		organisation, Mert Yasin Öz, GIS branch head at cadastre and to the very 
		left Dr Muzaffer Kahveci.
		 
		Orhan Ercan
		October 2018