GEO-CRADLE & the 2nd EuroGeoSurveys Networking Meeting, 17-23/10/2016, Morocco and Algeria

In the framework of the GEO-CRADLE Project, consecutive events in Morocco (Rabat) and Algeria (Timimoun, South Sahara) were jointly organized by the hosting partner EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), and the project coordinator National Observatory of Athens (NOA) between 17th and 23rd October 2016.

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EGS Secretary General Luca Demicheli (on the left) and GEO-CRADLE Project Coordinator Haris Kontoes (on the right)
In Rabat the events were kindly hosted at the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment of the Kingdom of Morocco. The 2nd EGS Networking event “Aimed at in-situ network operators and Geological Surveys – especially in Middle East and North Africa” took place on October 17th, and a Stakeholders’ workshop “Using geo-information services in the Middle East and North Africa” was organized on October 18th. In Timimoun the events were organised in the framework of the Algerian 5th National Stratigraphy Workshop by the Geological Surveys of Algeria.

The events in Morocco further increased the stakeholders’ engagement in the region, bringing together high-level Ministerial officers, Geological Surveys representatives, coordinators of regional initiatives and networks, relevant professors, scientists and researchers, local and regional in-situ network operators and EO-related companies.

With a series of interesting presentations, interventions and discussions, the events provided project partners and stakeholders with valuable knowledge on the identified regional EO capacities and skills, as well as the challenges in the domain of access to raw materials. They also provided opportunities to exchange information, register the needs, and share best practices in using EO services to facilitate access to raw materials, thus helping to identify a roadmap with solutions to enhance innovation in the geo-information sector.

Following the registration of the stakeholders’ needs in the region, the GEO-CRADLE Project Coordinator presented the opportunities which the European Union provides in terms of networking, capacity building, technology transfer and funding in general.

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Haris Kontoes, GEO-CRADLE Project Coordinator, presenting the GEO-CRADLE project in Rabat, Morocco
The meeting in Algeria was attended by over 200 participants representing the whole Algerian geoscientific community, mainly from universities and governmental institutions at the highest levels. In Algeria several sectors are not fully open to the free market, and the state-enterprises manage most of the country’s resources, including raw materials. The heads and managers of all the main Algerian state-enterprises attended the meeting in Timimoun. Also Tunisia was represented at Director General level.

The GEO-CRADLE partners presented several aspects of the project via different presentations in plenary session, raising a big deal of attention. The EGS Secretary General made an introduction to the broad scope of the project, explaining the role of Geological Surveys and of the raw materials topics in the framework of GEOSS and COPERNICUS. The PGI representative, also Chair of the International Cooperation and Development Task Force, Mr. Marek Graniczny, described the specific role of EGS and of raw materials in GEO-CRADLE. The Deputy Chair of the EGS Earth Observation and GeoHazards Expert Group, Ms. Veronika Kopackova, entered into the technical details of the benefit of applying novel EO technologies to the raw materials sector. The EGS Office Manager, Ms. Céline Andrien, focused on the importance of capacity building and of enhancing geological knowledge and skills in the African continent. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive and, besides the many questions posed by the audience, several cooperation proposals were discussed.

During the days of the congress various bilateral meetings were held, and requests by several institutions to start capacity building projects were collected. A major issue seems to be the availability of funds to start and implement such actions. However, it appears that there is a genuine interest in collaborating with GEO-CRADLE and EGS by the Algerian institutions, which is worthwhile to further explore with the target to achieve practical objectives and measurable results.

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Luca Demicheli, EGS Secretary General, presenting the GEO-CRADLE project in Timimoun, Algeria
Furthermore, the events in Morocco and Algeria contributed to the refinement of the scope of the relevant GEO-CRADLE pilot activity that will focus on the access to raw materials in the regions of Balkans, Middle East and North Africa, to the extent that this can be supported by GEO, GEOSS, and Copernicus. The meetings were in line with the objectives of PanAfGeo, Copernicus (GMES and Africa), and the new GEO Energy and Minerals Societal Benefit Area.

GEO-CRADLE supports the development of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) that is run by the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), of which both Morocco and Algeria are member states, and the implementation of the Copernicus flagship program in the regions of North Africa, Middle East, and Balkans. GEOSS, and Copernicus bring together and combine all information on the state of our planet that is possible to collect with the aid of both satellites and terrestrial instruments (such as geological cartography and mineral resources data sets), to foster environmental protection and economic growth.

The Agenda of the Workshop is available here.

DAY 1: 2nd EGS Networking event “Aimed at in-situ network operators and Geological Surveys – especially in Middle East and North Africa”, 17 October 2016, Rabat, Morocco

Introduction

International Cooperation on Raw Materials by the Head of the Unit Resource Efficiency & Raw Materials, DG GROW of the European Commission Mr. Mattia Pellegrini Presentation

Part 1: Setting the scene

1.1 GEO-CRADLE Overview: Project objectives and overall approach by GEO-CRADLE Project Coordinator Dr. Haris Kontoes Presentation
1.2 The role of Geological Surveys in the GEO-CRADLE project and scope of the workshop by EGS Secretary General Mr Luca Demicheli Presentation
1.3 The role of CRTS in promoting the Earth Observation technology by Head of Training Department, CRTS Ms Amal Layachi Presentation
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Part 2: Europe-Africa Geological Cooperation and the importance of GEOSS

2.1 Presentation of activities of the Geological Survey of Morocco (including available EO datasets, raw materials mapping and monitoring methods) by Director of the Geological Survey of Morocco Mr Ahmed Benlakhdim
2.2 The role of Geological Surveys into GEOSS and Copernicus by Chair of the EGS Earth Observation and GeoHazards Expert Group Mr Gerardo Herrera Presentation
2.3 The cooperation with the Organisation of African Geological Surveys and the role of Earth Observation (including good examples of regional cooperation, needs of stakeholders and endusers) by Chair of the EGS International Cooperation and Development Task Force Mr Marek Graniczny Presentation
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Part 3: Technical Session

3.1 GEO-CRADLE WP 2 – Results from inventorying the regional capacities (T2.1-T2.3) in the field of Raw Materials by T2.2 Leader, IGME-Greece Ms Eleftheria Poyiadji Presentation
3.2 GEO-CRADLE WP 2 – Results from the user need analysis (T2.4) with focus on North Africa by T2.4 Leader, EURISY Ms Alexandra Jercaianu Presentation
3.3 GEO-CRADLE WP 3 – Results from the gap analysis and the assessment of maturity indicators in relation to GEO, GEOSS, and Copernicus in the field of Raw Materials by Project Coordinator (NOA, Research Director) Dr Haris Kontoes Presentation
3.4 Example projects from the Balkan Region by IGME-Greece Ms Kiki Hatzilazaridou Presentation
3.5 The example of the EO-MINERS project by CGS Ms Veronika Kopackova Presentation
3.6 The example of the PanAfGEO project by PGI Mr Marek Graniczny Presentation
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Part 4: Discussion on T.4.3. “Access to Raw Materials” and conclusions

4.1 Proposal of pilot studies for T.4.3 “Access to Raw Materials” by Leader of T.4.3, PGI Mr Marek Graniczny Presentation

DAY 2: Stakeholders’ workshop “Using geo-information services in the Middle East and North Africa”, 18 October 2016, Rabat, Morocco

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Part 1: Introductory notes

1.1 GEO-CRADLE: Integrating regional capacity & building ecosystems by GEO-CRADLE Project Coordinator Dr Haris Kontoes Presentation

DAY 3: Special session in the 5th National Stratigraphy Workshop, 19 October 2016, Timimoun, Algeria

 1 The role of Geological Surveys in the GEO-CRADLE project and scope of the workshop, by EGS Secretary General Mr. Luca Demicheli Presentation
2 The cooperation with the Organisation of African Geological Surveys and the role of Earth Observation (including good examples of regional cooperation, needs of stakeholders and endusers), by Chair of the EGS International Cooperation and Development Task Force Mr. Marek Graniczny Presentation
3 Earth Observation for raw materials, by the Deputy Chair of the EGS Earth Observation and GeoHazards Expert Group Ms. Veronika Kopackova Presentation

Click to download the full Agenda