News
World Bank, Google Announce Map Maker to Monitor Projects in
Nigeria, Other Countries
The World Bank and Google have announced an agreement aimed at
improving the ability of developing countries to access a
web-based community mapping tool and data to help better monitor
public services, and improve disaster and humanitarian response
efforts.
“Under this agreement, which was perfected yesterday, Google
will provide the World Bank and its partner organizations –
including governments and UN agencies – with access to Google
Map Maker underlying geospatial data that includes detailed maps
of more than 150 countries,” the bank said in a statement.
The statement said “Initial World Bank country offices that plan
to pilot the Map Maker agreement include Ghana, Kenya, South
Sudan, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Nigeria, DRC, Moldova,
Mozambique, Nepal, and Haiti.”
The Bank explains that these countries are where governments
have a strong interest in supporting the use of technology and
data for decision-making and community monitoring, and in
encouraging projects that support government and citizen
engagement in geospatial mapping.
Through this tool, the World Bank says citizens are able to
directly participate in the creation of maps by contributing
their local knowledge, and those additions are then reflected on
Google Maps and Google Earth.
“These maps include locations like schools, hospitals, roads and
water points that are critical for relief workers to know about
in times of crisis, and will help NGOs, researchers, and
individual citizens to more effectively identify areas that
might be in need of assistance,” it added.
|
