French Group speaks against language discrimination at aids effectiveness talks

A group of more than 40 persons, from French speaking countries across the
world, meeting in Accra, have called for a bridge of
the language barrier that, they say has characterized discussions on aid effectiveness since the Paris Declaration.

Ahead of the third High Level Forum on aid effectiveness, scheduled for Accra for September 2 to September 4, 2008, the Group complained that the use of English language as the main medium of expression at the previous forums had not helped in the effective participation of affected non English speaking countries.

Mr. Kouassi Sebastien Programme Assistant in-Charge of Communication at the Benin based Groupe de la Recherche et d'Action Pour l'Agriculture and Developpement (GRAPAT) acting as spokesman, told newsmen in a debriefing that, the meeting was to brief delegates on the whole process of efforts, challenges and future plans to have discussions on aid effectiveness in other languages than English.

It was also to discuss future plans for the talks.

Mr. Sebastien said the group was very clear on the need for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and all involved in making aid effective that language discrimination was not for what he called "conclusion delivery."
He maintained that, all concerned with aid and its effectiveness should have equal access to information.
Mr. Sebastien observed that making the information on discussions in French and other international languages apart from English would not be an easy task, but however stressed the OECD could do it with more efforts,
He announced that the group would present a francophone position paper in the French language only at the end of the Accra talks.