„ Days of the Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina “ Conference Held in Sarajevo

The seventh edition of the „Days of the Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina“ conference was held on 24 September 2026 in Sarajevo, organized by the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs, as the coordinating body of the Spatial Data Infrastructure in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of activities implemented under the GeoConnect project, funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency within the Matra Programme. In the opening session of the conference, participants were addressed by Željko Obradović, Chair of the SDI FBiH Council and Director of the Federal Administration; Dimo Todorovski, representative of ITC/IT Twente; and Nermin Muzur, Mayor of the Municipality of Ilidža. This year's conference once again brought together relevant stakeholders from the field of Spatial Data Infrastructure, providing an opportunity to exchange experiences and views, as well as to present current activities and progress achieved in the development of the SDI.

It is particularly important to highlight that this year's conference had an international character and was the most attended edition to date, bringing together a total of 140 participants from 70 different institutions. The conference programme included opening addresses and four thematic sessions. The keynote presentation was delivered by Ms Holli Howard, a representative of Google, on the topic „Regional Solutions from the Ground Up: Geospatial Insights & Accessible AI“. The second session focused on current developments and the further development of the SDI FBiH, including activities implemented between the two conferences, spatial data licensing models, and the results of a public perception study on the SDI.

The third session presented examples of good practice and the development of spatial data infrastructures in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international context. Speakers from the Netherlands (ITC Twente), Croatia (State Geodetic Administration and Croatian Hydrographic Institute), and Slovenia (Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia) presented their experiences and perspectives. The fourth session focused on projects implemented by the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs that contribute to the development of the SDI – GeoConnect, DELEF and LiDAR. The projects were presented by representatives from the Netherlands (ITC Twente and Kadaster), Sweden (Lantmäteriet), and the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs.

The Conference Conclusions were prepared as guidelines for the further development of the SDI in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting improved spatial management and contributing to systemic sustainability, as well as strengthening institutional and international partnerships for long-term development:

1. Further, clearly measurable progress of the SDI FBiH is recognized in terms of the number of participating stakeholders, process standardization, and the operational availability of spatial data through SDI applications (SDI Registers, Metadata Catalogue, Geoportal and network services). This progress was also reflected in the record number of participants and institutions attending this year's conference.
2. Broader mobilization of all SDI FBiH stakeholders is encouraged, particularly those with a lower level of engagement, to actively participate in data entry, use of SDI applications, and involvement in working groups and training activities organized by the Coordinating Body.
3. Strengthening cooperation with the private/real sector and leading technology companies in the fields of geospatial technologies and artificial intelligence is supported – as demonstrated by the example of Google at this year's conference – with the aim of improving the accessibility, innovation and practical use of spatial data and SDI FBiH services.
4. Domestic examples of good practice in the use of SDI FBiH data and network services are highlighted and supported (the LiDAR project covering the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, spatial data licensing models, and the results of research on awareness of the benefits of the SDI), confirming the practical applicability of the Spatial Data Infrastructure in the daily work of institutions and the wider community.
5. Full support is given to the continuation of the GIVE, GeoConnect and DELEF projects, as well as to further international cooperation with partner institutions (the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sweden, Croatia, Slovenia and others), as key drivers of the technical and institutional development of the SDI FBiH.