XXV 
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tolerant with the other 
Opening 
Dear colleagues and friends, 
welcome to this Symposium, organized in Cotonou (Benin) 
from December 6, 1999 to December 10, 1999. It’s scheduled 
just in the Luigi Solaini 10 th Anniversary and it’s dedicated to 
his memory, remembering that he was the ISPRS President in 
the period 1968 - 1972. 
This Symposium, chaired by the AARSE Delegate of the 
Benin, Mr. Vincent Joseph Mama, and the ISPRS Treasurer 
and Delegate for Africa and Middle East, Prof. Heinz Ruther, 
deals with the topics of Education and Communication 
(Networking). 
Its motto is “Promoting Space Technology Transfer and 
Geomatics Education in Africa” or, in the French language, 
“Promotion du Transfert de Technologies Spatiales et la 
Formation en Geomatique en Afrique”, with the aim to 
overcome the language barriers. 
This Symposium offers to the ISPRS WG VI/3 “International 
Cooperation and Technology Transfer”, according to its 
Terms of Reference, the great occasion to serve ISPRS, as 
Cooperating Working Group, by means of an international 
meeting in Africa too. 
Furthermore the OEEPE, by means of its partners, RECTAS, 
ITC, GDTA, EU Delegation in Lagos, and the SELPER, by 
means of the ISPRS WG VI/1 “Education” (chaired by Dr. 
Tania Maria Sausen - Brazil) join the same Symposium 
positively. 
Indeed they respectively organize a Seminar on Development 
Support Project, in the last day, and an One - day Educational 
Tutorial, on Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, GIS and 
Geomatics, whose topics are particularly devoted to Africa. 
Finally the whole ISPRS is very grateful to the UN-OOSA 
for having provided a large financial support to be devoted in 
the organization of the Symposium, whilst the University of 
Parma (Italy) offered the printing of the Proceedings of the 
Symposium itself. 
The Symposium, held in conjunction with the National 
Centre for Remote Sensing, CENATEL, a well known center 
of advaced and applied studies in the equatorial region of 
Africa, is the first ISPRS event ever held in Benin and one of 
the first in the continent. 
It aims to advance expertise related to ISPRS and Geomatics 
in Africa by bringing together African and international 
experts in an African context and through the discussion of 
technology transfer and education issues. The specific 
objectives of the symposium are: 
1. Assessment of the situation of education in Africa 
2. Establishment of effective and sustainable education and 
training networks in Africa towards improved education 
3. Remote learning and computer assisted education 
4. Identification of support structures for education and 
networking in Africa 
5. Informing educators and practitioners on latest 
developments in relevant disciplines 
6. Investigation of opportunities for joint projects 
7. Strengthening of links between Francophone and 
Anglophone African Geomatics experts and institutions. 
I sincerely hope that everybody may return home, after the 
symposium, better than his departure. Finally let me recall 
that the last meeting of the ISPRS WG VI/3 will be held, in 
the first week of February of a next year, in Ljubljana 
(Slovenia). 
Closure 
Dear colleagues and friends, 
after one week of hard work, interesting discussion and nice 
events, now this symposium is finishing. 
Firstly let me recall the very strong figure of Prof. Luigi 
Solaini, the spirit of his life, on both scientific and human 
points of view, and the lesson that he gave us. 
Successively let me thank again Mr. Vincent Joseph Mama, 
our local host, especially for his warm hospitality and his 
engagement in the preparation of this symposium, 
recognizing all the difficulties he must overcome. 
Finally I’m sure that the symposium has been fruitful and 
positive for all of you, recognizing the importance of the 
international cooperation and technology transfer. 
I hope to meet you again in Ljubljana and in Amsterdam. 
Thanks a lot again, ciao.