IDeaMapSudan: Geo-Spatial Modelling of Urban Poverty

Khartoum, Sudan, is one of the fast-growing African metropolises, with a massive increase in its population from around 245,000 in 1956, to over 8 million in 2022 (Khartoum State). This urban growth is driven by rural-urban migration instigated by climate change, conflicts, and forced displacement, pushing rural populations into urban areas. The growing population often ends up in deprived urban areas that lack adequate housing, services, infrastructure, etc. Spatial data to support sustainable urban development strategies are limited. In response, IDeaMapSudan was launched in 2020 as a collaboration between the Sudan Urban Development Think-Tank, Ministries of Social Development, Physical Planning (Khartoum State), Infrastructure and Transport, and the Faculty Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation Science (ITC) at the University of Twente and partners from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the African Population and Health Research Center. IDeaMapSudan aims to develop a geospatial information system for mapping deprived areas. For this purpose, a multi-level deprivation model based on open geospatial data is created. Data as part of the information system are made available via standard web services (e.g., OGC WMS/WFS) and web applications (Geoserver and Geonode) to support local stakeholders and encourage data exchange on urban development questions.