The PanAfrican Localisation workshop held in Casablanca, June 13-15,
brought together localisation experts and representatives of software
localisation projects from various countries in Africa and beyond. We
considered the state of localisation of information & communication
technology on the continent (notably of open-source software, but
also of content), key issues, and ideas for facilitating and
advancing localisation efforts. The meeting also produced a brief
declaration.
Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
Coordinator of the PanAfrican Localisation Project
Pan African Localisation Workshop
Casablanca Statement
African localisation experts met in Casablanca in a workshop
organised by Kabissa with Bisharat under IDRC funding, and in
collaboration with MTDS and the Casablanca Technopark centre. The
event benefitted from contributions from the Moroccan Minister-
Delegate to the Prime Minister in Charge of General and Economic
Affairs, the Canadian Ambassador to Morocco, and experts from other
continents.
After three days of work, the participants in the meeting reached the
following conclusions:
* Limiting people to the use of information and communication
technology (ICT) in a foreign language tends to exacerbate the
digital divide; makes ICT adoption long, difficult, and expensive;
and impoverishes local culture.
* Localisation makes ICT more accessible to everybody, including
users from rural areas and young students, reinforcing the importance
of our culture and helping us preserve our identity.
* Localisation of ICT into indigenous African languages is therefore
key to rapid and fair development in Africa.
* For localisation to succeed and have its maximum impact in society,
collaboration among governments, civil society, educators, linguists,
computer professionals, standards organisations and development
agencies is necessary.
We, the participants, commit ourselves to promoting this vision and
working towards social development in Africa through ICT localisation.
Casablanca, 15 June 2005
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