CM/Res.372 (XXIII)
RESOLUTION ON THE PROGRAMME AND PRIORITIES OF THE INTER AFRICAN BUREAU OF LINGUISTICS
The Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Health Commission of the OAU meeting in its Third Ordinary Session in Reduit. Mauritius, from December 10 to 14, 1973,
HAVING CONSIDRED the report of the Administrative Secretary General Doc. ESCHC/106 (III) on the Programmes and Priorities of the Inter African Bureau of Languages;
AWARE of the importance of preserving and developing the African languages and of the linguistic affinities existing in the Continent.
WELCOMES the commissioning of the Inter African Bureau of Languages whose principal objective is to promote the usage and development of African languages,
INVITES the OAU Administrative Secretary General to convene a meeting of the Ministers of Education and Culture of the Member States with a view to examining the problems raised by the identification , maintenance, use and development of African languages and the Inter African linguistic exchanges, without prejudice to the development of lingua franci for the promotion of commercial exchange and communications.
APPROVES the programme and priorities set out in the report of the Administrative Secretary General regarding:-
Research and publication of information on African languages and Inter- African linguistic exchanges;
The translation in these languages of scientific works published in foreign languages,
The establishment in Africa of publishing houses endowed with adequate equipment because of the peculiar printing characters of these languages;
The training and the setting up of specialized courses in the African Languages with a view to creating a programme of exchange of students between the different African Universities;
The production of linguaphone records for the study of these languages by others at home and the teaching of the said languages by the radios;
The establishment of specialized schools to train interpreters as well as secretaries and stenographers in the said languages.
INVITES the Administrative Secretary General to do a prior study of he financial implications with regard to implementation of such a programme as far as OAU is concerned and to submit it for the approval of the Advisory Committee on Financial and Budgetary Matters and to the Council of Ministers.