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At regional level, | would only mention that there are two ECA- sponsored institutions; 
namely, the African Remote Sensing Council and the African Association of Cartography which 
perform co-ordinating role of the activities of the existing institutions on their respective areas of 
disciplines. However, the ECA Conference of Ministers has recently instructed that the two insti- 
tutions at regional level be merged for more effectiveness and better integration of their opera 
tions. 
Earlier in this address, | gave an overview of the mapping coverage at the various planning 
scales in Africa. That account of the overview of the state of development of surveying, mapping 
and remote sensing at the three levels and the statistical information on the national coverage 
at suitable planning scales, point out vividly that there are still enormous gaps to be filled. 
| will attempt to give a few of the gaps which | consider necessary to be filled if accurate and 
up-to-date geographical information data are to be made available for implementing the various 
development programmes in the African countries. Firstly, a large majority of the.existing 
topographical maps at scales 1:50,000, 1:200,000 and 1:250,000 are as old as twenty-five years, 
and, therefore, no longer present a true picture of the configuration of the surface of the land 
because of man's interactions since the maps were made. They need to be up-dated if they are to 
be useful for planning; sencondly, map coverages in most of the countries are sporadic and not 
systematic, and such gaps that exist over the years, remain gaps to be filled up till today because 
the means (human and material) to complete the mapping are simply not available; thirdly, in 
most of these countries aerial photographic coverage, the basic ingredient of photogrammetry, 
is not only poor but also old and lacking in many parts; fourthly, the national geodetic networks - 
are of varying standards in the degree of accuracy and are based on local origins. As a result of 
te inhomogeneity of the co-ordinate systems, it is not easy to compile a regional maps from sheets 
in adjacent. countries, without tears, for implementing regional projects that cut across national 
boundaries. | am however happy to note that the Commission for Geodesy in Africa (CGA), an 
affiliate of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), is about completing a continent-wide 
survey project — the African Doppler Survey (ADOS). The work of connecting the national first 
order geodetic networks is, in itself, another gap to be filled to achieve homogenous mapping 
and a common geodetic datum for Africa. Furthermore, it should be realized that it is not suffi 
cient that these data are available, but also necessary that they are up-to-date, reflecting the cur- 
rent state of physiography of the land surface. 
Ladies, 
Gentlemen, 
Let me recall some relevant portions of the priorities set out in the " Africa's Priority Progra 
mme for Economic Recovery (APPER)'' which consists of: 
(a) measures for accelerated implementation of the Lagos Plan of Action and the Final 
Act of Lagos": 
"(b) special action for improvement of the food situation and the rehabilitation of agricul 
tural development in Africa’’; 
effective support action for transport and commu nications and industry in order to 
achieve the immediate objectives of the programme’’; 
"(c) drought, natural calamities, famine and problems of refugees and displacement cf 
persons”; and 
"(d)  intra-African co-operation in the implementation of the Special Programme of Action 
for the improvement of the food situation and the rehabilitation of agriculture in 
Africa in order to lay the foundation for food self-sufficiency in Africa’. 
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
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