THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS CENTER

Dr. Abdullatif Abdullaziz Al-Harthy
General Manager
Geographic Information Systems Center

A brief introduction

The start of the efforts at the Amana of Jeddah to benefit from GIS technologies was by the General Administration for Architectural Planning in 1420 H (1999). During that period a unit was created for information and development as one of the units reporting to buildings and projects agency with responsibility for GIS systems. Its duties were the establishment of digital maps and the development of applications of Geographic Information Systems that will serve the various administrative units within the Amana.

Seven years later, a directive was issued by H.E. the Ameen (number 11213), dated 20-2-1427 H (2006), for the establishment of the GIS center, and connecting it to units that use and benefit from GIS inside the Amana. As such, the Center became responsible for all current and future GIS related works and projects of the Amana. Amongst the leading objectives that drove the Amana to create the center was its desire to unify efforts in this area, and the removal of the practice where each unit at the Amana was undertaking the development of its own GIS systems, though overlap was common in regard to these projects and their deliverables.

In addition to what was previously mentioned, the Center has many other duties and objectives it seeks to achieve, led by the objective of updating the base maps and the various digital layers, cooperation with the various government and private agencies to complete and exchange information, as well as the development of applications needed by the various divisions within the Amana and its subsidiary municipalities. The Center also adopts all GIS projects and supports its development as per the needs of each unit and carrying out the training of the required staff inside the Amana at the subsidiary municipalities, to make them ready to deal with the special GIS programs, as well as nominating and supervising new staff to work in the GIS area.