NES staff joined other Government agencies and stakeholders at the Cook Islands National Geospatial Workshop, held in Rarotonga from 14–18 September 2026.
The first two days focused on the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) and identifying priority actions to help inform a future Cook Islands National Geospatial Action Plan.
Participants worked through the nine IGIF Strategic Pathways and considered what they mean in the Cook Islands context, including governance, data sharing, standards, capacity development and future investment. There was broad support for all nine pathways to be taken forward for further consideration, with more work still needed to consolidate the workshop outcomes and progress the Action Plan.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for agencies to share how they currently use and manage geospatial information, identify gaps, and look at how national datasets can be better coordinated and shared.
Technical sessions later in the week covered GNSS/CORS, AUSPOS, LiDAR, QGIS and geospatial data management, including practical work around accurate positioning and mapping. Participants also looked at CookGeo, the official geospatial data portal of the Government of the Cook Islands, managed by the National Hydrography and Geoscience Division of Infrastructure Cook Islands.
Image: Participants during the practical field work
