English
Shqip
Meeting with local and international experts of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
The general director of the State Authority for Geospatial Information Ms. Vilma Tomço held a working meeting with the Swiss expert Mrs. Lea Moser and Mr. Rikard Luka
The object of this meeting was to share views on the further improvement of the implementation of the Build Back Better project in Albania.
This project was implemented for the first time as part of the aid that the Swiss Government offered to our country during the reconstruction period, to help families affected by the 2019 earthquake, in the municipalities of Shijak and Kurbin.
This project pursues its mission to reassess Albania’s current priority needs, at the national and local level, and at the same time identify areas to contribute with technical assistance, capacity building measures/actions to further improve policies and framework institutional compliance with EU building codes as well as to support the implementation of legislation related to the construction of residential buildings to improve prevention and reduce risk.
The potential intervention, to be supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), will be fully in line with the objectives and strategic priorities of the national risk assessment and the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2023-2030, which was recently approved by the Albanian Government.
The construction of a 1:2 000 scale topographical map is still ongoing
Following the completion of the 1:2 000 scale topographic map, the Cartography Sector at the State Authority for Geospatial Information is in the process of preparing data for an area of 49 km2, which lies in the eastern part of Tirana and the northern part of Durres.
This sector finished the field data verification phase in April in order to improve the quality and complete the datasets with elements that have the relevant attributes for each layer of geoinformation.
The information gathered in the field includes topographic data features such as:
- Verification of hydraulic works such as bridges, tombinos, and pits, as well as assessment of canal, stream, watershed, and river typologies;
- Correcting and classifying various objects such as residential, industrial, agricultural, administrative, religious, educational, and so on
- Collecting and correcting geographic designations for residential centres, buildings, and so on, based on technical specifications for the creation of a 1: 2,000 scale topographic map.
Meeting between ASIG and ESRI
State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG), in view of the projects with advanced satellite technologies that it is developing recently, had an informative meeting yesterday with Esri experts, Mr. Nick Sutherland (Esri European Defense and Intelligence BDM), Mr. Anthony Giles (Solution Engineer Esri European National Government) and GDI Albania.
Esri is the global market leader for geographic information systems (GIS), location intelligence, and mapping software. Since 1969, this company has been supporting governments, businesses, and academia with Geographic Information Systems worldwide. Esri experts in their presentations brought information on the applications of ArcGIS in the field of intelligent imaging (sources from satellite and drone images), all innovations, various ideas, tips on the Esri platform and the solutions it offers.
Training of responsible public authorities on the use of the National Geoportal and the standardization of geospatial data
State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) after the successful completion of the project to improve the National Geoportal system, has undertaken the initiative to increase the technical capacities of the staff of responsible public authorities for geoinformation.
The training focuses on the following topics:
- The use of new modules and functionalities of the improved system of the National Geoportal;
- The use of basic layers for creating and updating geospatial data from GIS applications using the network services of the National Geoportal;
- Harmonization and standardization of geospatial data according to geoinformation topics;
- The interaction of the geoportal with the GIS systems that public authorities administer.
ASIG experts from the National GIS, National Geoportal and Geoinformation Standards sectors, following this initiative, have conducted training with the responsible public authorities as follows:
- Water Resources Management Agency (AMBU);
- National Agency of Natural Resources (AKBN);
- National Civil Defense Agency (AKMC);
- National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM);
- State Cadastre Agency (ASHK);
- Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO).
ASIG participates in the Eurogeographics General Assembly
ASIG leaders attend the EuroGeographics 2023 General Assembly which is taking place in Malta on 20 and 21 March.
This year’s focus of this assembly is Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the geospatial data sector. Also, among the members of EuroGeographics, topics harmonized with the areas of the EU agenda are being discussed, such as:
- High Value Datasets
- Data Ethics
- Resourcing for the future
- Open Cadastral Map
- Collaboration between military and civilian for geodata provision
ASIG joins the Copernicus Relay
At the beginning of February, State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) became part of the Copernicus Relay network.
Members of this new community are Copernicus representatives on the ground and will promote the benefits of the EU’s Earth observation program.
As part of the Space Strategy for Europe, the European Commission has created this network of Copernicus ambassadors which has been in existence since 2017.
Members of this network act as local and regional contact points coordinating and promoting activities across the Copernicus program, as well as its benefits and opportunities for local businesses and the public.
Meeting of the Geospatial Information Board, date 01.02.2023
It took place in the premises of the Europa hall, on 01.02.2023, under the direction of the General Director of ASIG, Mrs. Vilma Tomço, meeting of the Geospatial Information Board (BIG).
All members of the Geospatial Information Board were present at this meeting.
Through their presentations, ASIG experts informed BIG members with the latest legal changes that affect ASIG’s field of activity, the satellite services project and the innovations of the National Geoportal
A meeting is held between ASIG and representatives of the Satellogic USA Inc
Representatives of the State Authority for Geospatial Information, headed by the General Director Ms. Vilma Tomço, on 19.01.2023, held a meeting with the representatives of the Satellogic company, in the framework of the realization of the project “For the realization of the Satellite Service for the monitoring with the advanced technology of territory of the Republic of Albania”.
In this meeting was discussed the progress of the cooperation, the activities carried out so far, and the steps to be followed in the future to meet the needs of the Albanian institutions, for the monitoring with the advanced technology of the territory of the Republic of Albania.
Albania 1 and Albania 2 satellites are launched into space
On January 03, 2023, from the base of Cape Canaveral in Florida, the satellites Albania 1 and Albania 2 were launched into space, by the company SpaceX with Falcon 9 in the joint mission Transporter-6, Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40).
Based on the contract signed in September 2022 between the National Agency of Civil Protection and the economic operator “Satellogic Inc”, which consists of the exclusive use of two satellites, for a period of three years, for monitoring the territory of the Republic of Albania with advanced satellite technology, for the first time in our country, updated geospatial information will be provided as well as imaging products and its other components from the dedicated Albania-1 and Albania-2 satellites.
Training from Satellogic on satellite services
In implementation of the contract “For the realization of the “Satellite Service for monitoring with advanced technology the territory of the Republic of Albania”””, from December 5, in the premises of the State Authority for Geospatial Information, ASIG, training is being conducted by the economic operator Satellogic USA Inc. and GDI of the technical personnel who will be responsible for the realization of this service.
Some modules of this training are:
- Satellite operations ;
- Taskin gand product;
- Introduction to GIS usig ArcGIS;
- ArcGIS online: Essential workflows;
- Putting ArcGIS to use across your organization;
- ArcGIS pro: Essential workflows;
- ArcGIS deep learning tools for imagery;
- Managing raster data using ArcGIS;
