UN-SPIDER's Network
UN-SPIDER works closely with a network of international, regional and national partners and benefits from different types of support. The Governments of Austria, Germany and China strongly support the programme and its offices in Vienna, Bonn and Beijing. UN-SPIDER also greatly benefits from seconded experts from national institutions and associate experts funded by their home countries.
Regional Support Offices
In order to promote the access to and the use of space-based information globally, UN-SPIDER cooperates with leading institutions on all continents - the Regional Support Offices (RSOs). As of 2015, the programme has 17 Regional Support Offices in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Among them are national space agencies, geographic institutes, civil protection agencies, universities and regional remote sensing centres. Jointly with its RSOs, UN-SPIDER staff organizes international and regional workshops and conferences, provides technical advisory support, facilitates the access to space-based resources in case of disasters and elaborates relevant content for UN-SPIDER's Knowledge Management tools. For example, in on ongoing effort, the RSOs elaborate step-by-step "Recommended Practices" on the application of satellite technologies for specific hazards to be published on the UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal.
read moreNational Focal Points
Recognizing the fact that disaster risk reduction and emergency response needs to be embedded into strong national policies and structures, UN-SPIDER has requested all Member States to appoint a National Focal Point who serves as a contact person for the application of space technologies to disasters and disaster risks. The role of the National Focal Points is to work with UN-SPIDER to strengthen national policies and plans for disaster management and implement specific national activities to support disaster management with space-based information.
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