GIS is an information system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing and displaying geographic information. The technology, according to Abdullatif Al-Harthi, head of the GIS center at the Jeddah Municipality, can be used for scientific investigations, resource management, asset management, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography, criminology, history, sales, marketing and logistics.
Al-Harthi said that the municipality has invited officials from across the Kingdom, government firms and GIS-related companies to attend the one-day forum.
A number of seminars are to be held at the forum for participants to exchange experience and share future developments related to GIS in both the local and private sectors, said Al-Harthi, adding that the event would take place at the Westin Hotel.
According to Al-Harthi, GIS is a new technology that would develop the work that municipalities do, especially in civil planning and environmental studies. It has given a new dimension to digital information databanks, especially with the availability of satellite monitoring technologies, which provide high-quality footage that is essential for building GIS information, he said.
Al-Harthi noted that Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh has urged the need for GIS to help the municipality adopt e-government technology.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Hasan Hatrash
Quelle/Source: Arab News, 07.11.2007
