14 November 2013: The UN Institute for Training and Research’s (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) has opened an office in Bangkok, Thailand, following up on a partnership agreement between UNITAR and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) to collaborate on disaster management, capacity development and satellite applications.

ESCAP’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Division houses the UNOSAT office. Shamika Sirimanne, Director, ICT and DRR Division, said the office “will help achieve better and more comprehensive access to and use of space-related services, as well as to benefit from geospatial information for effective DRR.”

The partnership is expected to help UNOSAT develop an Asia-Pacific hub for its operations and to facilitate collaboration with other UN regional offices, including the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). [UNITAR Press Release][UNITAR Press Release about partnership agreement]