At our international meetings we enjoy the backing of our governments. It is my special
concern to thank the Minister of Werks and Housing, of Science and Technology and of Planning
for the support they have given to this meeting. In particular there is Mr. Ayinde, the Chairman
of the Organising Committee and his committee members in various organisations. And there is
equally Mr. Omoigui, the Director of Survey of Nigeria and his staff who have shared most of
the burden to organise this meeting and to carry on the work of our Commission VI. | would
like to express my thnaks for this very important work, which brings credit to Nigeria in a world-
wide framework.
Technically our organisation works in congresses, which are held at 4-year intervals. The
last Congress was held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1984. The next congress will be held in
Kyoto in Japan in 1988.
At these Congress we organise our work in 7 technical commissions. Each technical
commission organises working groups, and they all hold their symposium in the mid-year bet-
ween congresses.
It is the duty of the president of ISPRS to attend all these symposia at which the important
issues facing photogrammetry and remote sensing in the world are discussed.
The series of our meetingsstarted this year during the month of March in India and later in May
with the Symposium on Instrumentation of Commission 1I in Baltimore, Md. organised
by the USA. Then we continued with the Symposium of Commission V in Ottawa in Canada on
non-topographic applications. In August we met with Commission IIl in Rotaniemi Finland to talk
about mathematical analysis of data. Then in sequence the meetings of Commission VII on
Interpretation were held in Enschede in the Netherlands, of Commission | on space Technology.
In Stuttgart in the Federal Republic of Germany, and two weeks ago of Commission IV on
Mapping i Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, and now we conclude our series of Symposia
with Commission |V in Badagry, Nigeria.
In all these meetings | have seen the critical state in which photogrammetry and remote
sensing is in at this time, and | have sensed the strong power of the development of new techno-
logies which are now going on in order to improve the living conditions on this planet.
After world war |l ‚the world had recovered in the 1950's and 60's from its distasterous
effects and a period of unprecedented economic growth began. Photogrammetry for the first
time played a major role in economic development by providing the maps to plan the growth cf
this world in an organised manner.
During the 1970's- forces of an economic recession became visible world wide, oil boom and
oil crisis, currency exchange rates going up and down, the widening gap between North and
South have not helped the situation. And yet, there is hope that new technologies may finally
end this recession cycle by introducing a new growth period which especially the developing
countries need so much.
We are glad that photogrammetry and remote sensing can aid in providing the tools for
planning the environment in a rational manner. Within our work we see two technologies of ut-
most significance which will help us to become more productive in mapping by doing tasks at
an unpreceedented speed with accuracy of results so far unexpected.
These developments are mainly in computer technology starting from hardware from
parallel processing to most storage devices to software developments such as data banks. These
permit us to automate the whole field of cartofraphy from data collection to data display and
analysis.
Secondly in satellite technology new platforms and sensors are becoming available.
The development of landsat, spot and of orbital platforms point more to the fact that
mapping and remote sensing become on international rather than national concern.
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