The document discusses the GMES & Africa ConsolidationValidation Workshop, which brought together representatives from 30 African countries to discuss three thematic areas (Marine and Coastal Areas, Water Resources Management, and Natural Resources Management) and two cross-cutting issues (Governance and Infrastructure) of the GMES & Africa Action Plan. The workshop adopted the "Call for the Implementation of GMES and Africa" which outlines future actions for the GMES & Africa process and Earth Observation in Africa to be submitted at the 2014 EU-Africa Summit. The document also lists priority products identified for each thematic area and upcoming relevant events.

1. BRAGMA
Bridging Actions
for GMES & Africa
NEWSLETTER 7 | NOVEMBER 2013
The BRAGMA project, coordinated by IICT is a Coordination and Support Action to GMES and Africa, supported by the European Commission.
Copernicus, formerly GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) is the European Programme for the establishment of a European capacity
for Earth Observation: http://www.gmes.info/.
The aim of the GMES & Africa ConsolidationValidation Workshop was to bring together
representatives from a significant number of
African countries to discuss three thematic areas
of the GMES & Africa Action Plan (GAAP),
and two cross-cutting issues (Governance and
Infrastructure).
The three thematic chapters, Marine and Coastal
Areas, Water Resources Management, and
Natural Resources Management, had been
discussed in previous GMES & Africa Workshops
held in October 2012 (Mombasa-Kenya), May
2013 (Abuja-Nigeria), and June 2013 Sharm
El-Sheikh) respectively.
The two cross cutting issues, Governance
and Infrastructure, were here addressed at a
workshop level for the first time, with a view to
furthering discussions on the implementation of
the GMES & Africa process.
The workshop was attended by 100 participants,
46 of whom were representing 30 African countries.
The “Call for the Implementation of
GMES and Africa” was discussed and adopted by all present. This document outlines
the basis for future actions for the GMES &
Africa process as well for Earth Observation
in Africa.
The “Call for Implementation” will be submitted
at the EU-Africa Summit in 2014, in order to
encourage and strengthen cooperation in the
framework of the GMES & Africa Initiative.
Recommendations and consolidation – Outputs
of the Workshop
Marine and Coastal Area: GMES and Africa Priority Products
.Operational coastal sea level, coastal circulation and coastal sea state
.Operational biological productivity (data, analysis, imagery and mapping)
.Coastal sensitivity and vulnerability Atlases and state of environment reporting
.Ship traffic situation and maps
.Regional weather forecast systems
.Real-time Disaster Warning Systems
.Mapping of coastal Land use and nearshore coastal and marine habitats
.Mapping marine and coastal ecosystem services

2. NEWSLETTER 7 | NOVEMBER 2013
Water Resources Management: GMES
and Africa Priority Products
Basic meteorological products
short-medium range outlooks;
First priority is the continental scale level:
Provision of a core set of continental scale Earth
Observation - derived products covering different
components of the water cycle at low spatial
(approx. 1 km) but higher temporal resolution (once
per day) e.g. precipitation, potential and actual
Evaporation, Soil moisture, Rivers and (ephemeral)
stole water levels
Water quality monitoring in large lakes:
Temperature, suspended sediments, chlorophyll;
and
Integration of some products to:
Derive regional scale water balances;
Facilitate regional scale hydrological modelling.
Management of Natural Resources: GMES
and Africa Priority Products.
.Land Cover & LCC maps for Africa (Standardised format/different scales)
.DSS for long-term NRM strategies in Africa (Integrated approach (satellite, in-situ); GIS-based system
for biodiversity monitoring management and environmental law enforcement (habitats maps, LC/LCC
maps, environmental gradients, disturbance assessment, resource zonation etc.)
For more details on the Implementation Plans of the three GMES & Africa thematic chapters see
Relevant Events - 2013
Annual digital broadcasting
switchover forum – 2014 Africa
11-13 February 2014, Arusha, Tanzania
Food
and
Agriculture
Futures:
Response to the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
04 April 2014, London
More information and registration:
More information:
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/food-and-agriculture-futures-response-intergovernmental-panel-climate-change-ipcc#.
Uoz4KvnIbX4
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/food-and-agriculture-futures-response-intergovernmental-panel-climate-change-ipcc#.
Uoz4KvnIbX4space/expo/index_en.htm
BRAGMA future Events
BRAGMA Project Closing Meeting – December 2013.
Links:
http://www.bragma.eu
http://bragma.mixxt.eu/
http://capacity4dev.ec.europa.eu/africa-eu-part.gmes/
Design by Tiago Ribeiro - Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical
http://capacity4dev.ec.europa.eu/africa-eu-part.gmes/minisite/4-gmes-africa-consolidation-validation-workshop