Droughts have extensive and profound repercussions on populations, livelihoods, ecosystems, and economies. The most vulnerable people are unduly affected by their financial consequences. Although droughts affect millions, lead to food shortages, poverty, and inequality, their immense and widespread effects are often underreported.

Space-based applications related to Earth Observation and geospatial data play an important role in supporting disaster risk reduction, response and recovery efforts through providing accurate and timely information for decision-makers. Monitoring floods, drought conditions and water resource environments using satellite remote sensing (RS) technologies have become more essential recently, in particular for developing countries.

The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) and the Office of the State Ministry for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (ANDMA) carried out a virtual thematic meeting on ‘Assessing Drought and Water Resources Conservation Using Earth Observation’, in collaboration with Delta State University and the  Internati

Phase II of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on the “Geospatial Applications for Disaster Risk Management” was launched on 1 June 2021 by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (through its UN-SPIDER programme) and the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Asia and the Pacific (affiliated to the United Nations).

On 11 May 2021, Ms. Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, and Mr. Vinicio Cerezo, Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding for both institutions to work together to further their shared goals and objectives regarding the use of space science and technology for sustainable socio-economic and environmental development.