The 14th Esri Eastern Africa User Conference (#EAUC2025) brought together over 150 GIS professionals, thought leaders, and innovators from the region to discuss and showcase transformative geographic information systems (GIS) applications. The conference, held from May 7th to May 8th, 2025, at PrideInn Paradise, was centered around the theme “GIS – Uniting our World Through Positive Action.”

A Hub of Collaboration and Innovation

The conference officially commenced with keynote addresses from Samuel Kimani (CEO, Esri Eastern Africa), Dean Angelides (Esri Inc.), and Joseph Obonyo (CTO, Esri EA). They emphasized how GIS can drive positive action in addressing regional and global challenges.

Highlights of the Conference

Day 1 of the conference focused on setting the agenda for GIS-driven solutions, with sessions including:

• Spatial Insights for a Greener Future by Herine Ondolo & Ngugi Thuo (Flux Carbon).
• Modeling Sugarcane Yields with Random Forests in ArcGIS by Eric Lwambe (Kenya Sugar Board).
• Drought Monitoring with Machine Learning by Paul Wainaina Kimani (DeKUT).

Day 2 spotlighted innovative applications, featuring presentations like:

• Powering Africa’s Future by Alex Asiliba & Phoebe Njoroge (Dalberg Research).
• GIS at KenGen: Centralizing Data, Maximizing Impact by Ephraim Muya.
• GIS for Livestock Development in the IGAD Region by Julius Muyizzi.

Immersive ArcSafari Field Excursion

On the final day, participants embarked on an ArcSafari Field Excursion to the Mikoko Nature Trail along Tudor Creek. The hands-on experience included a guided mangrove walk, a canoe ride, a natural mud bath, and a Swahili cultural exhibition. This unique ecotourism experience demonstrated the practical use of GIS in environmental conservation.

Key Takeaways and Future Outlook

The conference fostered collaboration among GIS professionals and sparked innovative ideas, reinforcing the commitment to use spatial intelligence for sustainable development. Esri Eastern Africa expressed gratitude to all participants, speakers, and partners, who contributed to the success of #EAUC2025. The event left attendees inspired to apply GIS-driven solutions to real-world challenges, building a resilient and sustainable future.