C 2005/INF/18

Conference

1. The attached letter of 14 October 2005 from the Embassy of Angola refers to the request for an additional item on the Provisional Agenda entitled The Use of Portuguese at the FAO Regional Conference for Africa in 2006.

2. The estimated cost of Portuguese interpretation at the forthcoming session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (Bamako, 30 January - 3 February 2006) is estimated at $ 40,000.

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA
Via Filippo Bernardini, 21
Tel. 06.39.366.902 – 06.39.366.941 – FAX 06.39.366.570
00165 ROME - ITALY

Rome, 14 October 2005

RA/NV/266/2005

The Embassy of the Republic of Angola in Italy and to the United Nations in Rome presents its compliments and informs that the Twenty-third Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa, held from 1 to 5 March 2004 in Johannesburg, recommended, under paragraph 57 of Chapter 4 of its final report that FAO "envisage the use of Portuguese for the FAO Regional Conference for Africa in 2006".

As the Thirty-third Session of the Conference of FAO will be held from 19 to 26 November 2005, the Republic of Angola, in accordance with Article II.5 of the General Rules of the Organization, requests through its Embassy to FAO that the Director-General include in the agenda for that session an item, for examination and decision, regarding the above cited recommendation on the use of Portuguese as a working language at the next FAO Regional Conference for Africa in 2006.

Portuguese is used in the principal African organizations such as the African Union, SADC, CEAC, ATO and others. The Republic of Angola is confident of the support of the other Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa and, to reduce costs, only requests simultaneous interpretation at the Regional Conference, while keeping the Conference documents to the official languages of the Organization, French and English. Portuguese interpretation is an essential condition for the five Portuguese-speaking African countries to be able to participate effectively and meaningfully in the Regional Conference for Africa, at a high level.

The Embassy of the Republic of Angola avails itself of this opportunity to renew the assurance of its highest consideration.

(Stamp of the Embassy)

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE
UNITED NATIONS
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
DR JACQUES DIOUF
ROME