N° 18–1993: UN/ESA joint training course on satellite applications to be held in Italy, 19-30 April

The training course, organised for the benefit of francophone African experts, will be hosted by ESRIN, the European Space Agency's establishment in Frascati, which is responsible for coordination with the users of data from ESA's remote sensing satellite. Twenty-four experts in the field of remote sensing, selected from 19 francophone countries from northern, western and central Africa, and three regional African centres, will attend the two-week session. The course will focus on remote sensing techniques and data applications, particularly ERS-1 data.

The ERS-1 satellite, developed by ESA and launched in 1991 with the European Ariane launcher, carries an advanced radar instrument and is the first in a series of radar remote sensing missions that will ensure availability of data beyond the year 2000. The aim of the training course is to increase the potential of experts using the practical applications of radar remote sensing systems to natural resources, renewable energy and the environment, with particular emphasis on applications to geology and mineral prospecting, oceanography and near- coastal areas, agriculture, forestry and meteorology.

The education and practical training programme was developed jointly by the United Nations and ESA. The facilities and the technical support, as well as lecturers and information documents for the training course, will be provided by the Agency. Lecturers at the training course will include high-level experts from other European and African organisations active in remote sensing applications. Funds for the training course are being provided by the United Nations Trust Fund for New and Renewable Sources of Energy; the primary contributor to that Fund is the Government of Italy. A similar training course is being planned for Latin American experts.