A one-week The African Geodetic Reference Frame (AFREF) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) data processing training workshop was concluded at the RCMRD. The course was conducted by RCMRD and supported by KQ GEO Technologies, ComNav Technology, Trimble, Leica and Pentax.

The purpose of the course was to provide technical skills in the establishment of AFREF and National Real Time GNSS Networks, installation of CORS, handling, dissemination and processing of GNSS data.

The trainees were Land surveyors, Geodesist, Engineers, Researchers and Cartographers from African countries with some experience in Global Navigation satellite System (GNSS) technologies. The course covered: AFREF Concepts and progress; Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Technologies; Establishment of Continuously Operating GNSS Reference Systems (CORS), and National Real Time GNSS Networks (NRTN); GNSS Augmentation Systems and Availability in Africa; Reference systems, AFREF, datum and Coordinate systems & transformations; Practical field work on Static GNSS surveys, RTK surveys using Base/Rover, and RTK surveys using CORS as well as Practical GNSS data post processing and reporting using open source software.
When fully implemented, AFREF will consist of a network of CORS such that a user anywhere in Africa would have free access to the generated data.

The African Geodetic Reference Frame (AFREF) was conceived as a unified geodetic reference frame for Africa to be the fundamental basis for the national and regional three-dimensional reference networks fully consistent and homogeneous with the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF).