The Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) and Swedesurvey have a long and fruitful history in successful cooperation. It started in the early 1980s and continued for more than sixteen years.

During the last ten years there has not been any formal cooperative work. However, EMA recently adopted a five- year Strategic Plan and has asked Swedesurvey to provide support in its implementation.

The Memorandum of Understanding to re-establish the cooperation between EMA and Swedesurvey to assure a smooth implementation of EMA´s Strategic Plan was signed on 19th March 2009.

Since 2005, Swedesurvey has assisted Instituto Geografico Augustin Codazzi (IGAC) in Colombia to develop ‘Sistema de Informacion Geografica para la Planeacion y el Ordiamento Territorial National’ (SIGOT) - a geographic information system for comprehensive land-use planning and management at local, regional an local government level. The first phase will end in December 2009 and consequently there has been an evaluation of achievements so far. In February 5 and 10, stakeholders of the project gathered at Bogota to give their views and propose activities for the remaining period as well to give ideas for a second phase that will commence in 2010. The workshops gathered over a 100 participants representing users and producers of data from government institutions and authorities. Christer Kjörneberg from Swedesurvey took part in the workshops, which gave most valuable inputs to future actions needed to sustain the portal. One major achievement so far is that the project has succeeded in creating a common understanding among the stakeholders and a will to work shoulder to shoulder to prepare useful and accessible information for the development and land-use plans at national, regional and municipal level. Also the approach to design geodata based on crucial indicators will facilitate planning activities to achieve equitable distribution of goods and services as well as promote a sustainable environment in Colombia.

For more information, visit the webpage http://sigotn.igac.gov.co/sigotn/

Swedesurvey has been awarded a contract which has the overall aim to develop a strategy for information management and IT configuration for land administration in the Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will begin in February 2009 and is estimated to continue for six months. It is similar to a project Swedesurvey was awarded earlier for the Federation. The Swedesurvey team will be led by Mr. Seho Zimic, who not only has graduated from the Department of Geodesy at the University of Sarajevo and worked in Bosnia for 14 years but has also held a number of different positions within Lantmäteriet. Other members of the team are Mr. Miro Govedarica the IT expert and Mr. Ivica Micanovic the cadastral and legal expert. A back up team at Swedesurvey, led by Mr. Stefan Svenson will provide support and participate in major seminars and workshops. Swedesurvey is delighted to have this opportunity to work with issues of great importance to the future of the Republika Srpska.

November 27 - 28, Swedesurvey together with NGO "Land Reform" (Chairman, Mr. Miroslav Kobasa) and National Cadastre Agency of the Republic of Belarus (Director, Mr. Sergei Shavrov), implemented the last one of in total seven regional seminars for judges, lawyers, notaries and realtors in Belarus. This was also the last planned activity within this three years project. The Belarus Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Alexander Simonov, opened the seminar and emphasized his satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation.

The participants at this last seminar got a copy of the book "State Registration of Real Property, Real Property Rights and Real Property Transactions, volume 3", author Mr. Sergei Shavrov.