Saudi geospatial role grows at FIG Congress

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information has used its diamond sponsorship of FIG Congress 2026 in Cape Town to underline the Kingdom’s expanding role in global surveying, geospatial data and digital mapping.

GEOSA represented the Kingdom at the International Federation of Surveyors gathering in South Africa, where policymakers, surveyors, geomatics specialists, technology providers and land-governance experts met from 24 to 29 May. The congress, held under the theme “The Future We Want – The SDGs and Beyond”, brought together more than 1,500 specialists and experts from 120 countries, with sessions focused on surveying, geomatics, geospatial data, land administration, sustainability and emerging technologies.

The diamond sponsorship placed GEOSA among the event’s most visible institutional participants and gave the authority a platform to present Saudi Arabia’s work in building national geospatial infrastructure, regulating the sector, supporting smart services and advancing data-driven decision-making. The authority’s participation reflected a wider Saudi effort to position geospatial information as a strategic asset for development planning, infrastructure delivery, environmental management, emergency response and investment.

GEOSA’s presence at the congress included a dedicated pavilion at the accompanying exhibition, where it displayed national geospatial products, services and enabling technologies. The pavilion highlighted the Kingdom’s progress in developing an integrated geospatial ecosystem, including digital services, national mapping tools, geospatial licensing, standards and solutions designed to support government agencies, private-sector users, academic institutions and individuals.

A scientific delegation from GEOSA also took part in the technical programme. Engineers Naif Al-Juhani, Saad Al-Qarni, Ghazi Al-Qahtani and Saad Al-Qahtani delivered papers and specialised presentations covering Saudi experience in geospatial innovation, smart geospatial solutions and the adoption of emerging technologies. Their presentations placed particular emphasis on the use of modern geospatial applications to support development projects, improve public-sector coordination and strengthen evidence-based decision-making.

The Cape Town congress came at a time of rising demand for geospatial intelligence across urban planning, transport, housing, climate resilience, agriculture, logistics, utilities, maritime activity and security-related services. Governments are increasingly relying on high-quality location data to manage infrastructure networks, monitor land use, plan cities and assess environmental risk. The growth of satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, digital twins, cloud computing and real-time mapping has also pushed national mapping agencies to modernise standards and improve data-sharing systems.

For Saudi Arabia, GEOSA’s participation fits into a broader programme linked to Vision 2030, which places emphasis on digital transformation, infrastructure efficiency, investment facilitation and government-service modernisation. The authority is responsible for regulating, developing, supervising and monitoring surveying, geospatial information and imaging activity, excluding work related to the Ministry of Defence. It also acts as a national reference body for geodetic, topographic and hydrographic surveys and supports the development of the Kingdom’s national geospatial information infrastructure.

The authority has been strengthening its international profile through participation in major geospatial forums and through partnerships with global technology and professional bodies. Earlier this year, GEOSA served as a strategic partner at the Esri Middle East and North Africa User Conference in Riyadh, where its president, Dr Eng Mohammed bin Yahya Al-Sayel, described geospatial information as a core pillar of data-driven decision-making and digital transformation. That message carried into the Cape Town congress, where GEOSA sought to present the Kingdom as both a user and developer of advanced geospatial systems.

Saudi Arabia’s geospatial agenda is also gaining prominence through its role as host of the Third United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress in Jeddah from 16 to 19 November 2026. That event is expected to draw more than 1,800 participants and will focus on the theme “Navigating the Next Frontier: Embracing the Digital Renaissance and a New Geospatial Paradigm”. The UN-backed congress will bring together member states, international organisations, private companies, academics and civil-society groups to examine how geospatial information can support development, resilience and global cooperation.

GEOSA’s Cape Town engagement therefore served as both an international showcase and a bridge to the Jeddah congress. By presenting scientific work, displaying national platforms and engaging with professional networks, the authority aimed to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s standing in a field that increasingly shapes policy, investment and public administration.

The FIG Congress also provided an opportunity for participating entities to discuss strategic partnerships and memoranda of understanding, as geospatial agencies and companies look to expand collaboration across data standards, capacity-building, research, land governance, surveying technologies and digital infrastructure. For Saudi Arabia, such cooperation is important as large-scale development projects require accurate mapping, reliable spatial data and coordination across multiple public and private stakeholders.