Geodata as the key to EU integration
Bosnia and Herzegovina works together with Kadaster to apply Bosnian geodata in practice. This will take the country a step closer to EU membership. We spoke with our colleague Haico van der Vegt about how Kadaster supports this new project.
What prompted this project?
“Our Bosnian colleagues have a lot of geodata but less experience making it available to various users. Geodata is indispensable in many situations. Take the construction of a highway: to determine the best location, you need a topographic map. To know who the current landowners are, you use cadastral information. Often different parties manage this data. How does a ministry decide about the highway?”
How do you approach this challenge?
“We develop various use cases and train our Bosnian colleagues in the process of, for example, developing a highway. We also discuss the role of different project stakeholders in such a process. This makes decision-making with geodata more effective and transparent. This project also ensures a more transparent government. Bosnia and Herzegovina has applied for EU membership. We're helping them comply with European standards for geoinformation.”
What role does Kadaster play?
“We manage the project and share in-depth knowledge about geostandards and how to collaborate. Our colleagues in the Netherlands are eager to contribute to these international projects. For example, 2 colleagues with extensive expertise in data quality control take the lead on that aspect of the project. Another colleague who earned his PhD in governance issues shares his knowledge of collaboration and coordination between parties.”
How do you deal with the political context?
“We work closely with the Dutch embassy in Sarajevo. The ambassador supports our work and has praised our previous projects in the region. These projects brought the Western Balkan countries closer together on technical and content-related standpoints. If you understand each other, collaboration develops from the ground up. With this new project we work together to build a future in which Bosnia and Herzegovina grows closer to the EU.”
More information
Read more about our collaboration with Bosnia and Herzegovina on our project page Bosnia-Herzegovina: GeoConnect and geospatial expertise.