Kick-off Mission of the New Dutch Donor Project – GeoConnect

The kick-off mission of GeoConnect, a new donor project supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was held on April 17 and 18, 2025, in Sarajevo, at the premises of the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs (FGA).

The workshop was attended by representatives of FGA, the academic community (University of Sarajevo, University of Mostar), Kadaster Netherlands, KU Leuven from Belgium, and ITC – Faculty of Geoinformation Science and remote sensing, University of Twente.

During the two-day mission, a common understanding was reached regarding the project's objectives, key tasks, and expected outcomes within the following three components:

• Outcome 1 – Capacity Building
• Outcome 2 – Data Standardization
• Outcome 3 – Social Engagement

Initial activities were also planned, including curriculum development, technical workshops, study visits, and other educational initiatives.

The GeoConnect project is the result of cooperation between the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs and leading European institutions in the field of geospatial data. The implementation will be led by Kadaster International (the Dutch agency for cadastre, land registry, and mapping) and ITC – University of Twente, in collaboration with the Faculties of Civil Engineering at the University of Sarajevo and the University of Mostar, as well as KU Leuven.

The project aims to:

• Capacity improvement of the coordinating body and spatial data infrastructure (SDI) stakeholders in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through specialized training and mentorship programs;
• Develop standardized and interoperable geospatial data aligned with the EU INSPIRE Directive;
• Raise awareness of the importance of spatial data in public resource management, sustainable development, and decision-making based on data.

The four-year project will include a series of activities such as technical workshops, study visits, educational programs, and public awareness campaigns.

The Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs, as the main beneficiary and coordinator of the project in Federation of BiH, emphasizes the importance of this initiative in strengthening responsible governance and preparing Bosnia and Herzegovina for future membership in the European Union.

We thank all partners for their trust and look forward to jointly implementing this strategic project.