d 
Capacity Building in The Egyptian Survey Authority: A Cooperation Program with the Dutch 
Government 
M. Hesham NASR', M. Mostafa RADWANP 
"Egyptian Survey Authority, Egypt (Esal @idsc.net.eg ) 
"International Institute ITC, The Netherlands (Radwan(@itc.nl ) 
ISPRS Congress, Commission VI, WG VI/1, Istanbul 2004 
  
KEYWORDS: Egypt Survey Authority, Capacity Building, Performance, Information System, International Cooperation, Training 
programs, Case Studies 
ABSTRACT 
Since the beginning of the 90s, several initiatives have taken place in the Egyptian Survey Authority, ESA, to modernize its production 
facilities, work procedures and upgrade its resources. A number of international donors contributed to these initiatives. A strategic plan 
was set in the year 1994, where the establishment of ESA ‘Land Information System’ is the main target. Several working programs 
initiated in order to implement the strategic plan, also to operate on cost recovery bases. While good progress has been made in 
transferring the technology and improving productivity, ESA is seriously behind in the area of technical management and supervision. 
Many mid-managers and supervisors need training in the management and optimization of technical operations and quality, as well as on 
the effective use of information technology. This situation is similar in many mapping organizations in developing countries. The 
development of the capabilities of managers and supervisors is now recognized as the most important problem in ESA, in order to 
achieve sustainability of the modernization program and to ensure the effective use of the investments made. Such required training is 
however outside the scope of the standard education programs in Egyptian universities and technical institutes. ESA turned to The 
Netherlands Embassy in Cairo, and the International Institute ITC, for support in designing an organization development program for a 
five years period, after which it would proceed as on-going intra-organization training program. The TMS/ESA Training Project started 
in 1999, aiming at capacity building to improve performance of ESA. ITC is the leading partner in this project, in association with several 
educational institutes in Egypt and professional organizations in the Netherlands and Germany. The TME/ESA Project offers an 
integrated set of training programs and case studies for ESA staff in all management levels. In order to ensure sustainability of training, 
the project also aims to strengthen the training capability of ESA. This paper will address these training programs in some details, and its 
impact on the functioning of ESA. It also reviews the lessons learned for both ESA and ITC, in the framework of international 
cooperation. 
I. THE EGYPTIAN SURVEY AUTHORITY (ESA) 2. CHALLENGES AND SHORTCOMINGS IN ESA 
BACKGROUND 
There is a daily evidence that ESA, like many national mapping 
The Egyptian Survey Authority (ESA) is currently the only organizations in developing countries, is facing many challenges, 
governmental organization responsible for the coverage of the such as: 
entire territories in Egypt with base topographic maps of 
several scales. ESA has also the responsibility to the support of Challenges concerning the running of its business: 
the national cadastre and land registration scheme, in e Mandatory services are behind schedule and the respond 
cooperation of the Real Estate Office in the Ministry of Justice. to the evolving GIS market is slow; consequently user's 
ESA was established in the 1879, as a department in the dissatisfaction. 
Ministry of Finance, with the objective to track the land * Lack of Government Funds for the completion of map 
ownership for tax collection. In 1898, Captain Lyons coverage and the cadastre registration of land. 
established the Survey Department with additional mapping e No clear government‘ regulation concerning the 
tasks; one of the oldest mapping organizations outside Europe. implementation of cost recovery, the freedom for 
In 1971, it was renamed the Egyptian Survey Authority under downsizing (ESA employs more than 10,000 staff. only 5% 
the Ministry of Water & Public Resources. ESA celebrated its of them are university graduates), as well as the freedom 
100^ anniversary in May 1999, In the year 2001, ESA was ta set pricing policy büxed'omactual costs 
asked by the Government of Egypt to adapt cost recovery e Lack of marketing skills to generate revenues and to face 
policy, without violating its national mandate, and to be the threat of new competitors who are encouraged by the 
completely self supported by the end of the year 2005. ESA is present of cheap technology, easy access to row material 
also expected to play a key role in the development of the and have a flexible approach to adapt to the changing 
National Geo-spatial Infrastructure in Egypt. requirements of GIS users. 
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