Framework data modeling for the proposed national spatial data infrastructure of United Arab Emirates
Abstract
The report primarily investigates the status of the geospatial data activities of the U.A.E., with a focus on identifying the framework datasets and related technical and institutional issues concerning its generation, maintenance and dissemination. These datasets are defined along with their content, classification, coding, common spatial reference, and exchange and format standards. This is done with the perspective of building the U.A.E. National Spatial Data Standards.
The maintenance of such a framework involves many players and therefore coordination becomes a major criterion. Accordingly, adequate guidelines for the formation and the functioning of a council for such activities are outlined. Moreover, such efforts are expected to raise several institutional issues. Therefore the strategies are required to resolve the custodianship and legal protection of the datasets and related return on investments issues. The entire process would put an extra burden on agencies amidst the already existing constraints on the budget. This demands the mobilization of extra funding at national level. However, cost benefit analysis of such initiatives is required for convincing the higher management for enough funds. Therefore the guidelines for developing such strategies and business-cases are covered in the report.
Moreover, some easy-to-implement solutions, promoting the feasible way of data sharing and exchange, are explained in the report. The process is to demonstrate the potential benefits of such initiatives and to create awareness among the decision-makers and the users involved in the geospatial data activities of the country. It is anticipated that the strategy would act as a roll mover or a quick starter for the wider implementation process of such initiatives.