Maps for Open Development - World Bank Commits to Open Geo Data

Mar 21, 2012
Today, the World Bank stepped up its open data commitment explicitly acknowledging the value of open geographic data:

"Our interest in mapping at the World Bank is strong and growing. Our efforts with Mapping for Results, the Bank’s Spatial Analysis Lab, and the Open Aid Partnership have shown us that location matters and maps help us and our clients make better choices in alleviating poverty. Recent collaboration with citizen mappers in Haiti and Tanzania demonstrate the power of working directly with people to create maps and the utility of geo-data for humanitarian response and planning. Through trial and error, we have learned that open and equitable access to maps is critical not only for crisis response but also for innovation and longer-term development."




Source:

http://blogs.worldbank.org/insidetheweb/maps-for-open-development

http://developmentseed.org/blog/2012/mar/19/world-bank-open-geo-data/