For over 10 years, EIS-AFRICA has played a guiding role in the formation of environmental information systems at national and sub-national levels on the African continent. As a pan-African network organisation, EIS-AFRICA has been particularly successful in creating awareness about the need for stakeholders to work together within and among countries, and share common data architecture and information resources. Specific milestones in EIS-AFRICA’s history include:

In Madagascar, Tanzania, and Ghana fully functional training units have been established to meet the acute and perennial need for trained personnel.

Madagascar and Ghana have also created a complete series of environmental datasets.

In Uganda, environmental information systems operations have become an integral part of a State of Environment reporting process founded on national legislation.

Benin has developed an platform for sharing environmental and geospatial data on the Internet (known as SISEI in French), as part of a virtual clearing-house mechanism in support of the implementation of its National Environmental Action Program (NEAP).

In Cote d’Ivoire applications were extended to support national-level investment and tourism promotion, as well as tax collection at the local level.

The Gambia, EIS-AFRICA supported the development of the Greater Banjul Master Plan to identify waste disposal sites for the city of Banjul.

In Burkina Faso, activities led to the adoption of a common classification scheme for 1:200,000 scale land use land cover maps, as a first step towards the standardisation of geo-information production in the country, and the emergence of a national network for environmental data management (Programme National de Gestion de l’Information sur le milieu PNGIM).

Along the way, EIS-AFRICA has convened the biennal AFRICA-GIS^TM conferences, which have provided geo-information professionals opportunities to network, share their research, and learn about the latest developments in geospatial technologies. 

Mission: EIS-AFRICA is recognized by our strategic partners, clients and the public as a leading organization developing African capacity to generate, manage, disseminate and use geo-spatial and environmental information to enrich policy debate and support decision-making for the well-being of African people.

Vision: An African Society where information for sustainable development is readily available and easily accessible.

EIS-AFRICA is a membership-based organisation. Duly registered members of the organisation will have direct access to all the services and products of the organisation, and will be invited to all the relevant fora which may be organised to discuss the programmes and issues affecting the organisation.

Over the years the “EIS community” has grown to comprise individual practitioners, institutions (African as well as international), and partners in the private sector. There are others who are not formally associated with the network, but may use its services and products. Many individuals within the EIS community belong to other professional associations and other groups. Individuals and organisations are encouraged to sign up to become registered members.

EIS-AFRICA recognises the emergence of sub-regional groupings within the EIS community.These groupings address issues from a sub-regional perspective, and will therefore work as partners and collaborators at that level.

The principal governing organ of EIS-AFRICA is an elected Board. It is charged with providing policy and operational guidance, programme orientation, and mobilising the financial, human, and material resources needed for the execution of the mission of the organisation. The Secretariat is in Tshwane, South Africa. Its main function is to co-ordinate the implementation of the strategic and business plans approved by the Board. An Executive Director who is the legal representative of the organisation heads the Secretariat.