News

New contract: The Consortium FINNMAP-SKM has signed a contract for consultancy services for the implementation of strengthening National Geographic Services in Lao PDR.
09.06.2010
The Consortium FINNMAP-SKM formed by FM-International Oy FINNMAP and Suomen Kartoitus ja Mittaus SKM Oy has signed a contract with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for

“Consultancy services for the implementation of Strengthening National Geographic Services in Lao PDR”

The project purpose is to provide support to the National Geographic Department (NGD) to create, maintain, manage, provide and distribute reliable geographic data services to public and private stakeholders/clients and to plan, budget and manage its information services in Lao PDR.

Technical Assistance is directed to three components: 1) service policy development of the NGD, 2) Technical capacity building in the NGD and 3) aerial photography, survey and production of orthophoto and topographic maps and satellite images and establishing a NSDI.

The project period is four years starting in August 2010.

FORMER PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF PHNOM PENH POST MICHAEL HAYES JOINS FINNMAP!
31.05.2010
Michael Hayes, former Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of the Phnom Penh Post newspaper joins the FINNMAP team of the multi-donor Land Management Sub Sector Programme (LASSP) in Cambodia. As part of their technical assistance (TA) to LASSP, FINNMAP supports the development and implementation of the Public Awareness and Information Dissemination as part of their comprehensive TA support to the Land Titling Programme and Development of a Multi-Purpose Cadastral system in Cambodia.
Michael Hayes has more than 27 years extensive experience in media work in numerous countries, of which more than 18 years in Cambodia. As the former Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of the Phnom Penh Post newspaper, Mr Hayes has excellent experience in working with different Cambodian stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental, in a highly professional and culture-sensitive manner. His professional local expertise is considered highly valuable for the improved implementation of LASSP's media, public awareness and community participation and PR tasks as well as the capacity building of the PR Unit of LASSP.

FINNMAP IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM OF THE FACULTY OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION (FLMA) OF THE ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE (RUA) IN CAMBODIA!
31.05.2010
As the longest-serving international surveying and mapping consulting company in Cambodia, FINNMAP takes pride of sponsoring the university league football team of the Faculty of Land Management and Administration (FLMA) of the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) of Cambodia during the 2010 football season. The new FLMA was established and developed with TA and financial support of the previous multi-donor Land Management and Administration Project (LMAP) (2002-2009) and so far around 380 new generation B.Sc-level land sector professionals have graduated or are graduating in the near future to support both public and private sectors dealing with land issues.

FM-International Oy FINNMAP became major share holder of Aerodata International Surveys of Belgium
17.05.2010
FM-International Oy FINNMAP has purchased major part of the shares of Aerodata International Surveys with domicile on Antwerp. Aerodata has joined the PASCO Group as its latest member.
Aerodata will continue to operate as a distinct company with its current offices in Antwerp (Belgium), Breda (The Netherlands), Lille and Paris (France) and Padova (Italy). It will also continue to be led by the current management team, including both founders of the company. At the moment Aerodata operates six survey aircraft with digital sensors in Europe, Africa and Middle East.

www.aerodata-surveys.net.

FINNMAP will be represented in the FIG 2010 Congress in Sydney, Australia
07.04.2010
FINNMAP will be represented in the FIG 2010 Congress in Sydney, Australia with three papers and presentations in the official programme. These are:
1. Jouni Anttonen: Successful Capacity Building of the Cambodian Land Administration: Finnish Technical Assistance Combined with the Local Khmer Expertise, Culture and Traditions;
2. Gertrude Pieper: Existing Open Source Tools and Possibilities for Cadastre Systems;
3. Dr Sam Ell Meach (with Suon Sopha and Lor Davuth): Implementation and Concept of Public Awareness, Community Participation and Land Management (PACP-LM) for Establishing Cadastral Index Map and Land Register in Cambodia.
For the detailed programme and schedules, see www.fig.net.

Railroad scanning project in Cambodia accomplished successfully.
25.2.2010
App. 500 km of railroad from Phnom Penh to the border of Vietnam was scanned successfully during the 4 week mission.

Jouni Anttonen was awarded a Royal Order of Cambodia Medal of Commander
4.2.2010
Jouni Anttonen, long-term Team Leader of FM-International FINNMAP in Cambodia was awarded a Royal Order of Cambodia medal of Commander on 4 February 2010 in Phnom Penh. This is so far the highest official recognition by the Royal Government of Cambodia to foreigners working in the land sector.The medal was issued by Senior Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC), HE Im Chhun Lim at the annual meeting of MLMUPC. This was Anttonen's third time to receive medals for his contributions to the development of the Cambodian land administration system, after Knight's (2004) and Officer's (2008) Royal Order medals.

The Royal Order of Cambodia was founded in 1864 by King Norodom I to recognize military and civil contributions to the Protectorate. It was adopted as a French Colonial Order in 1896. It is awarded in five classes (Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight). Following the takeover of the country by the bloody-rule of the communist Khmer Rouge, a constitutional monarchy was restored under United Nations sponsored elections in 1993. The new Kingdom has again begun to issue medals.

Project in SAUDI ARABIA continues as planned
12.12.2009
Project-134 Digital Line Mapping of Hail Region for MOMRA continues as planned. At the moment total number of personnel in the project office is approx 40.

Project contract in HONDURAS
21.11.2009
The contract for aerial photography and updating of cadastral maps in Departamento de Cortés -project, financed by NDF, was signed in February 2009 and the Project activities are going on.

FINNMAP purchases LiDAR-scanner
15.8.2009
We are strengthening our capacity by purchasing new LiDAR-scanner. Scanner will be operational in our international projects in late 2009.

Project in TAJIKISTAN extended
1.7.2009
The EC funded project “Support to the Mapping and Certification Capacity of the State Land Committee in Tajikistan” has been extended by two years from July 2009 to June 2011.

Forest scanning LAOS
14.4.2009
LiDAR scanning project in Savannakhet disclosed excellent results.
Aim for this project was to study options for monitoring changes in forest-based carbon stock in Lao PDR. Project was carried out in co-operation with Indufor and Arbonaut.