inside this issue bridge issue 1...2 uarterly newsletter, directorate of conference management and...

Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP)

H.E. DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA MEETS DCMP

, The Genesis of DCMP

, Selection and Hiring of Freelance

, Impact of ConferenceWeb on the Use of Paper

, Challenges and Obstacles

March 2014

COMMUNICATION SYNERGY TRANSPARENCY

Issue #1April 2014

Inside This Issue• Babel, Origin of Interpretation

• ThePrintingWorkflowSystemsoonto be launched

• Facts and Figures: Achivements and Statistics

• Machine Translation

T H E M O U T H P I E C E O F D C M P

2 Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP)

I am pleased to introduce to our esteemed readers this maiden issue of THE BRIDGE. This

quarterly Newsletter which is yet another addition to the innovations taking place within the Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP) is designed to focus attention on the Directorate’s activities, operations and modernized working methods, etc. It also seeks to narrate the success stories related to the modernization and transformation drive that the DCMP embarked upon some six (6) years ago and continues to pursue under the stewardship of its Director supported by her team of hard working staff.

In a nutshell, THE BRIDGE is about the remarkable achievements through innovation and creativity. Equally, however, the Paper also analyses challenges the Directorate grapples with in the journey towards an effective and efficient Commission. THE BRIDGE could not therefore have come at a more propitious

time and in particular with the department that is a front office to management of stakeholders.

The intention is to provide you as a valued reader with insights for your appreciation; but also get feedback from you. You are therefore invited to actively contribute to this publication.

Erastus MwenchaDeputy Chairperson

AUC

H.E. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the

African Union Commission

Foreword

“In a nutshell, THE BRIDGE is

about the remarkable achievements through

innovation and creativity”

Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP) 3

Editorial

THE BRIDGE has come to fill any possible communication gaps

between the Directorate of Confer-ence Management and Publications (DCMP) and its sister Directorates/De-partments of the African Union Com-mission and beyond. It also seeks to reach out to the outlying Organs and Regional and Representational Offic-es of the Union. Indeed THE BRIDGE is primarily designed to build a robust synergy and enhance coordination and cooperation through information sharing and constructive discourse.

Apart from broadening the channel of communication between the various outfits of the African Union, this is a Newsletter aimed at keeping all its clients abreast of DCMP conference management-related activities, oper-ations and its homegrown IT-based System that has the ultimate goal of making both paperless environment

and green conferencing a reality.

It is our fervent hope that through this novel communication platform, the readership will discover more about DCMP’s most daring but ambitious modernization initiatives that have been unfolding with a great mea-sure of success for well over six years now. Not only will the stakeholders of DCMP learn more about its twin Meet-ing and Printing Workflow Systems and other cutting edge software and tools the Bridge will also afford them the requisite insight into how this bee-hive of a Directorate functions and how it could be of benefit to all and sundry.

As a medium of information, partic-ularly on issues pertaining to con-ference planning, organisation and management, contributions from staff of DCMP itself and of course other Departments, are expected to be forthcoming for possible publication in this Newsletter.

Welcome to our first edition.

Pamela Bhroom Youth

Editor-in-Chief


Director’s Page

The DCMP Newsletter named “THE BRIDGE” has come, as the latest in the chain of innovations that have

been the hallmark of the Directorate since we assumed the mantle of office in 2007. Its début has been tailored to coincide with the advent of Agenda 2063 and the e-mail from the future by her H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, addressed to Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory, whilst immortalizing the role of the conference management outfit in the evolutionary transformation of the continental organization since its establishment in 1963. We have never shirked our duties with regard to the core functions of DCMP; rather, we have become ever so technologically oriented, resourceful and innovative in accompanying the African Union Commission in its drive to build a continent of dialogue, peace and prosperity.

On this score, our editorial policy is unequivocal: this Newsletter which is produced entirely by the staff of DCMP, is intent on being the veritable BRIDGE, an interface that fills the communication

gap between it and other arms of the Commission. It also seeks to bring into focus, the achievements made by the Directorate over the past six (6) years, within the framework of its modernization drive, and stress the need for the rank and file of DCMP, indeed all its stakeholders to further rally behind the innovations already initiated, and faithfully apply them. THE BRIDGE will showcase the activities and operations of the Directorate, serve as its mouthpiece and cover other areas of interest Commission-wide and Continent-wide, especially as they relate to the goals and vision of the Commission. It also elects to present the reader with facts and figures about the activities of DCMP in a dedicated column.

It should be noted that in addition to the hard copy, the softcopy of THE BRIDGE can be accessed on the DCMP Conference Web where it will also be possible for the reader to make comments and observations.

This then is the mission of THE BRIDGE, and we are committed to fulfilling it with our usual sense of excellence and dedication through our indefatigable Editorial Board. We count on you to come and help sustain this BRIDGE. In this endeavour, we count on the full support of everyone especially that of the top management of the Commission. Come read us!

Nadjet Khellaf

Director, DCMP

“this Newsletter which is produced entirely by the

staff of DCMP, is intent on being the veritable BRIDGE,

an interface that fills the communication gap

5Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP)

Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union

Commission, on Thursday, 13 March 2014, had a ground-breaking meeting with DCMP staff in Small Conference Hall 2. Also in attendance were the Secretary General to the Commission, Ambassador Jean Mfasoni, and some members of the Chairperson’s Bureau.

Opening the meeting, Her Excellency, the Chairperson stated that her visit was part of the on-going series of meetings she was having with the Directorates/Departments of the Commission for a more introspective look into their operations and better appreciation of their achievements and challenges. The ultimate aim of this initiative, she added, was to move the Commission forward towards a more efficacious delivery of its mandate.

Given the floor after these opening remarks, DCMP Director, Mrs. Nedjat Khellaf, first thanked Her Excellency the Chairperson on behalf of the staff for taking time out from her busy schedule to meet with DCMP staff.

She then proceeded, with Her Excellency’s indulgence, to make a PowerPoint

presentation of DCMP which covered its mandate and core functions, its structure, its pre-2008 situation, the modernization initiatives, and its achievements as well as its challenges. In this context, the Director projected with statistical data, the key trends in the evolution of the Directorate in terms of the exponential increase in the number of meetings serviced and the spiraling number of pages of documents translated in all the working languages, by Department, over the six-year period. Her Excellency the Chairperson was also given detailed information on DCMP’s many cutting edge innovations such as the web-based conference workflow system, its short-term and freelance staff roster/database management system, its online translation request system, to mention but a few. Her Excellency heard about the challenges facing DCMP, and more importantly, the measures taken post 2008 to address the said challenges. The Chairperson described the presentation as quite impressive.

Thereafter, the floor was thrown open for a frank and open interactive discussion of the challenges and other issues affecting the Directorate and its staff.

H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Meets DCMP


Acknowledging some of the challenges outlined, her Excellency graciously proposed a number of solutions, adding that attempts would be made at top management level to address them. She went on to counsel the staff of the Directorate to work together in unity of purpose, and focus on the factors that create harmony and cohesion among them in furtherance of the goals, objectives and ideals of the African Union.

H.E. the Chairperson enjoined the DCMP Director to explore the ways and means to encourage and/or compensate staff members who have made outstanding contributions to the progress of the Directorate or have gone the extra mile in the performance of their duties.

The Secretary General to the Commission also extended words of advice, encouragement and appreciation to all staff of the Directorate.

The DCMP Director’s vote of thanks at the end of the four-hour meeting appropriately reflected the sense of gratitude on the part of all the staff for having been given a listening ear for the clear endorsement of their work and for discussing the challenges faced.

The group photograph taken at the end of the meeting posted herein depicts a happy conclusion to the quality time spent with Her Excellency the Chairperson of the Commission.

Chairperson meeting with DCMP

The thirty-five immediate post - independence

African leaders who gathered in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa on 25 May 1963 to sign the Charter of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) were driven by one cardinal objective: to build their Continental unity so as to more effectively wage the bitter struggle to liberate the rest of the continent from the remaining bastions of colonialism, foreign domination and racial discrimination or apartheid. The dynamism, purposefulness, sense of urgency and determination of these leaders, deservedly referred to as the Founding Fathers of the OAU, were given full expression in the relevant provisions of the OAU Charter. In the Preamble, the leaders asserted their resolve “to safeguard and consolidate the hard-won independence as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our States, and fight against neocolonialism in all its forms…”

To this end, the Founding

Leaders unambiguously defined the focus and orientation of the Organization as being the desire to: “promote the unity and solidarity of the African States; coordinate and intensify their cooperation and efforts to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa; defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity and independence; eradicate all forms of colonialism from Africa; and promote international cooperation, having due regard to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Little wonder that collective action through dialogue has always been and indeed remains the mantra of the Organization. It was thus not unexpected that, in establishing the structures

of the General Secretariat in 1966, the Founding Leaders, mindful of the fact that the OAU would basically serve as a platform for regular brainstorming and discourse among them, recognized from the onset the importance of having a section whose responsibility would be to plan, organize, manage and service the Organization’s meetings and conferences.

It was within this context that Conference Services Division evolved as an indispensable structure for the accomplishment of the orientations enshrined in the very Purposes and Principles of the OAU Charter. As one of the foundation services of the African Union, the Division which later grew to become a fully fledged Directorate is an emanation and indeed an offspring of the Organization of African Unity, and its fortunes would be inseparable from those of the OAU/AU as an entity.

To take the reader down memory lane, it is instructive to stress that in those days, the archaic method of work of the Division involved the use of typewriters, stencils, cyclostyles, cables, telex machines and all manner of outmoded working tools and gadgets. We are talking here about an era that was also characterized by protracted sessions that went into the small hours of the morning and lasted for weeks on

THE GENESIS OF Arabic Reviser

by MIS Gassama

“From that very modest beginning as a much leaner

structure with limited mandate

and responsibilities until the late 1990s,

the Directorate of Conference

Management and Publications (DCMP) has come a long way ”

DCMP


end. In addition, internal communication and networking between the defunct Conference Services Division and other outfits of the General Secretariat were conducted via direct telephone contacts, departmental and inter-departmental meetings and the use of mail runners. This equally explains why paperwork then formed the main feature of activities and operations of the Division. That notwithstanding, the efficiency and effectiveness with which the staff of the Division performed their duties remained inviolate and unimpaired.

It was all too natural that under these circumstances, paper consumption was at its highest as correspondence, internal and external alike, including inter-office memoranda, took the form of hard copies while conference documents, both working and outcome versions, were reproduced in huge quantities determined by the number of users belonging to each of the four working languages of the Organization: English, French, Arabic and Portuguese.

By way of illustration, the chain of document processing started with translation assigned to the Translator by the Administrative Assistant through the Mail Runner, upon the directives of the Head of Division. After translation, the document passed through the Mail Runner once again to the Reviser, then to the Typing Pool, then to the Proof-reader, and finally back to the Pool before being sent to the stakeholder department or being reproduced directly, as the case may be.

With such confused and haphazard arrangements, and without much record keeping, it was not uncommon for documents to go missing in transit, thus warranting repetition of translation and dissipation of efforts and energy. Worse still, huge loads of documents were for each major meeting held abroad, airlifted to the venue of the meeting, requiring MCOs being issued to the Documentalist or whoever stood in for him/her. At the end of the meeting, the bulk of these documents was left behind to waste.

From that very modest beginning as a much leaner structure with limited mandate and responsibilities until the late 1990s, the Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP) has come a long way, having undergone an unprecedented process of transformation and self-renewal,particularly in the past six years. This total and necessary metamorphosis coincided with the coming into being of the African Union itself, thus prompting the Directorate to expand exponentially in its functions and responsibilities so as to ensure its continued relevance and survival, as well as greater effectiveness and efficiency in the discharge of its extremely exacting new mandate. Undoubtedly, such a feat of modernization could not have been possible with such resounding success within a relatively short span of time in the absence of a proactive, dynamic and determined leadership.

Genesis of the DCMP, continued

Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP)8


Printing Workflow System Soon to be Launched

The new Print-ing Work-

flow System devel-oped jointly by Mr Sadat Kemal, DCMP IT Expert and Mr Henok Ayele, Desk-top Publisher in the Printing Unit, was presented to staff of the Unit at a ses-sion presided over by the DCMP Director, Mrs Nedjat Khellaf.

Monthly Newsletter of Conference Managment and Publications Directorate

Director meeting Printing Unit Staff

Mr Sadat Kemal, IT Expert

Mr. Henok Ayele, Desktop Publisher

Group picture with Printing Unit staff


CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES

As showcased else-where in this Newsletter, DCMP

has made great strides in its modernization and renewal drive. However, it is in the na-ture of things that along the road some challenges and obstacles are bound to be encountered.

In highlighting the above-men-tioned challenges and obsta-cles, we are not trying to appor-tion blame or pontificate about how other Departments should run their internal affairs, but rather and more importantly, to see how together, we can do things differently for the better-ment of the Commission in par-ticular, and the Union in general.

Among these challenges is the late submission of documents by Departments, which is a peren-nial problem hampering the work of DCMP and runs counter to the laid down rules and guidelines.

More often than not, documents are submitted for translation and

processing in the nick of time, thus putting undue pressure on the Directorate. As old habits die hard, the numerous decisions and guidelines adopted by the Sub-Committee on Conferences and Programmes and endorsed by the Executive Council itself, via the Permanent Representa-

tives’ Committee (PRC),did very little to remedy this situation.

It may however be instructive to make reference to one of the provisions of a relevant decision as a reminder. To be precise, the 18th Ordinary Session of the Ex-ecutive Council adopted a deci-sion which, among other things, “Requests the Commission to scrupulously observe the two month deadline for the submis-sion of documents to DCMP for processing and ensure that such documents do not exceed a maxi-mum of twelve (12) pages except where the Chairperson of the Commission deems otherwise”.

Another challenge worth mentioning here has to do with the preparation, presentation and adoption of the Calendar of Meetings itself. The two Directorates concerned with the meetings of the policy organs, namely, DCMP and the Directorate of Strategic Policy Planning,Monitoring, Evaluation and Resource Mobilization (SPPMERM) always find it difficult to get the Sub-Committee on Programmes and Conferences to hold its regular sessions so as to align meetings with programmes and come up with a draft Calendar of Meetings that incorporates all the necessary elements and is therefore acceptable to the PRC and subsequently to the Executive Council for endorsement.

Talking of challenges, due to the fact that DCMP does not have sufficient funds within its budgetary allocations for servicing conferences and meetings, some of its activities are often impeded, and this impacts negatively on its budget execution rate. To get around this vicious circle, it is imperative that the Directorate’s Operational and Programme Budget allocations are reviewed upwards to further enhance its resource capability.

The other challenges can be summarised as follows:

“Among these chal-lenges is the late

submission of doc-uments by Depart-ments, which is a perennial problem

hampering the work of DCMP”

by Ernest Victor Afagbegee, English Reviser

Quarterly Newsletter, Directorate of Conference Management and Publications (DCMP)10


" Late requests / urgent last minute requests

for conference services;

" Late response to cost estimates sent to De-

partments;

" Insufficient funds in budget codes provided

by the Departments and/or planning meet-

ings without a budget;

" Absence of a dedicated budget to provide

conference services. DCMP relies on other

Departments budgets;

" Interpreters and Translators turning down

offers due to late confirmation of meetings

and the time often wasted in the process;

" Non-completion of the ConferenceWeb

component for the workflow allocation;

" Increase in the number of meetings held

outside the approved Calendar of Meetings

in violation of the provisions of the relevant

Decisions;

" Non-compliance with the approved Cal-

endar of Meetings, which does not allow

DCMP to use the Calendar as an effective

planning tool;

" Mismatch between the number of translation

and interpretation requests and that of

professional staff available at DCMP;

" Low participation of AUC Managers in the

sensitization meetings.

" Unavailability of spare parts for the Confer-

ence System locally;

" Slow pace of the Procurement and Human

Resource processes;

" Poor drafting of the original texts in some

cases as well as absence of proper refer-

ence documents;

" Most documents being drafted in English by

non native English speakers;

" Program Budget constraints in the

Directorate and specially in Printing Unit;

" Delays in the submission of service requests

by Departments.

Challenges and Obstacles, continued


“ it is imperative

that the Directorate’s Operational

and Programme

Budget allocations

are reviewed upwards”


As very few people outside DCMP are familiar with the modalities and criteria used in hiring Free-

lance Interpreters, Translators, Trans-lation Assistants, Secretaries, etc.., It is important to shed light on how this process is carried out within the Direc-torate for the benefit of our readership.

The AUC/DCMP has always resorted to freelance interpreters and translators to help service its numerous and overlap-ping meetings. This has always been done based on a roster available at the Directorate.

As most of the Roster dates back to the time the Directorate was still a Division, many changes have occurred, as some of the people concerned might have passed away or acquired new qualifica-tions, skills and competences. Further-more, new people have been express-ing their interest in being included in the DCMP Roster.

It therefore became necessary to up-date the Roster in view of the need to:

• Have a corps of Interpreters and Translators, reflecting the diversity of the Continent;

• Reflect any changes in the status of the interpreters, translators, translation assistants, secretaries who work with DCMP and have their updated contact details;

• Widen the Pool of Freelance Confer-ence Staff;

• Identify and attract new talents.

The first step in the process consist in updating the existing Roster. A message to that effect was sent to all the free-

lance on the Roster requesting them to update their CVs.

At the same time, an advertisement was posted on the AU Website, inviting in-terested freelance candidates to submit their applications, together with their credentials to DCMP.

All Interpreters and Translators interest-ed in being included in the AU Roster of Accredited Freelance Staff, are there-fore expected to complete the online application form available on the AUC Website for submission together with their CVs, degrees and/or diplomas, indicating their areas of expertise and competence, language combinations, and where relevant, proof of adequate experience.

The CVs received are prepared in the form of a table drawn up for each Lan-guage Unit, indicating the name, gen-der, nationality and language combina-tion of each applicant. This bio-data is then submitted to the various Language Units at the Division level for consider-ation, and in the end recommendations are made as to which applicants should be considered on the basis of qualifi-cations and experience, and subject to accreditation tests.

An internal shortlisting committee in-cluding senior DCMP staff, screens the CVs, with a view to selecting prospec-tive candidates who have met the laid down criteria. These criteria include, inter alia, relevant qualifications and experience, and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

This rule-based meticulous screening process ensures, in addition to the right qualifications, competence and expe-rience, a selection that is informed by impartiality, transparency, etc.

To be eligible for the accreditation tests, the candidate must have the following qualifications:

• A recognized university degree/diplo-ma in interpretation and/or translation; or

• A recognized university degree in any subject and a postgraduate qualification

in interpretation and/or translation; or

• A recognized university degree in any subject and documented experience in consecutive and simultaneous interpre-tation and/or translation.

In addition to qualifications, compe-tence, language combination, computer literacy, etc, the final selection of can-didates for inclusion in the Roster is based on passing the accreditation test.

The ultimate purpose of the exercise is to identify and work with qualified interpreters and translators and have a database that can be used to hire free-lance conference staff in the countries/regions where AU meetings are held.

In this regard, the existing Roster, which is the outcome of the efforts of the Directorate to have an electron-ic Database of reputable Interpreters and Translators in AU Member States, is constantly updated and cleaned up. At its current pace, the Database being fine-tuned will enable DCMP to have at its disposal, an excellent pool of Inter-preters and Translators both at Head-quarters and in Member States.

The above therefore represents the broad outlines of the procedures fol-lowed in the selection and hiring of Freelance Personnel of the right cali-ber drawn from an all-inclusive pool, as needed.

Selection and Hiring of Freelance by Fatoumata OumouKeita,

Ag. Head, Interpretation

“The existing Roster which is the outcome of the efforts of the Direc-torate to have an elec-

tronic Database for rep-utable Interpreters and

Translators in AU Member States is constantly updated and

cleaned up ”



Impact of the ConferenceWeb on Paper Usage

In the Maputo Structure, in accordance with Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.34(III), one of the functions of DCMP is “To develop a system for the efficient storage,

control and distribution of documents before during and after conferences and meetings of the AU”.

Accordingly, the Directorate has created a Web-based System which can be accessed from anywhere by using the appropriate user name and password. This new System designed to cater for the needs of the stakeholders, is ac-cessible 24/7.

This System called “the ConferenceWeb” was developed in-house with resources generated internally and under different capacity develop-ment programmes, as well as through working visits to sister organizations. The Conference-Web can be accessed through the following addresses:

• Outside AUC premises:

http://webmail.africa-union.org/login.aspx

•Within AUC premises:

AUC-Employee Wi-Fihttp://conferenceweb/login.aspx.

Please note that it cannot be accessed

using the AUC Guest Wi-FI.

Since January 2010, DCMP has been posting Summit working documents on the Confer-enceWeb, thereby making it possible for all the major stakeholders, namely, AUC staff, staff of Embassies of Member States in Addis Ababa and Ministries to access these documents. The impact of the ConferenceWeb includes the fol-lowing:

• Put an end to the physical distribution of doc-uments;

• Spared Embassies the trouble of forwarding hard copies received by courier to their home Ministries. With a user name and password, those Ministries can also access the docu-ments;

• Enabled DCMP to stop the reproduction of documents for distribution to Member States (no more production of 60 copies in English, 60 copies in French, 20 copies in Arabic and 10 copies in Portuguese) for dispatch by the AUC Registry using their vehicle;

• Reduced the number of copies distributed during meetings since some of the participants now use soft copies posted on the Conference-Web. Consequently, the number of documents reproduced has been reduced by 100 copies for English, 70 copies for French, 20 copies for Arabic and 10 copies for Portuguese;

• DCMP also began forwarding documents by email. This has resulted in savings in the use of paper by the Commission.

With the advent of the ConferenceWeb, total paper usage has decreased by 1,362,767pag-es, equivalent to 2,725 reams or 545 boxes of paper.

by Merga Deressa, Documentalist

Table 1: Impact

No YearOriginal Number of Pages

Difference from previous Summit

Total Pages Duplicated

Total Savings Aggregate Savings

in %

1 Addis Ababa January 2014 6,611 1,446 454,643 215,808 670,451 32.192 Addis Ababa May 2013 5,165 (3,343) 334,230 223,187 557,417 40.04

3 Addis Ababa January 2013 8,508 991 546,925 354,505 901,430 39.33

4 Addis Ababa July 2012 7,517 858 428,072 298,382 726,454 41.075 Addis Ababa January 2012 6,659 1,422 444,062 270,885 714,947 37.896 Malabo July 2011 5,237 (2,707) 548,670 - 548,670 0.007 Addis Ababa January 2011 7,944 (1,955) 814,125 - 814,125 0.008 Kampala July 2010 9,899 2,666 956,910 - 956,910 0.00

9 Addis Ababa January 2010 7,233 (1,085) 779,185 - 779,185 0.0010 Sirte July 2009 8,318 (947) 861,955 - 861,955 0.0011 Addis Ababa January 2009 9,265 1,445 968,700 - 968,700 0.00

12 Sharm El Sheikh July 2008 7,820 2,330 818,860 - 818,860 0.00

13 Addis Ababa January 2008 5,490 - 617,795 - 617,795 0.00

Total 64,773 5,306,822 1,362,767 6,669,589 20.43


BABE

L

Origin of Interpretation

Language interpretation is quite a recent profession. Consecutive interpretation became popularized in the 20th Century, when its utility was recognized from its use in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the Allied Powers at the conclusion of the First World War

Before then, French had been the language of choice in diplomacy, but after World War One, the importance of English in diplomatic circles began to grow. As a result, it was necessary in these high profile meetings, to have interpretation between English and French. Consecutive interpreting was the only mode of interpreting at the time.

At the League of Nations, the interpreters played a visible and vital role in meetings. They spoke from the same dais as original speakers, with the latter stopping occasionally for the interpreter to interpret after taking down notes. Participants viewed and listened to the consecutive interpreter.

However, by 1928, Simultaneous interpretation had made its debut in some countries in Eastern Europe. For reasons unknown, it faded away for a while, but resurfaced at the Nuremberg Trials (a series of military tribunals held in the city of Nuremberg, by Allied Powers) for the prosecution of Nazi criminals

after the Second World War.

Following the success of this important event’s interpretation services, the interest of the United Nations (UN) was heightened. Consecutive interpreting which entails taking down notes in one language and rendering the message into another language, was thought to be long, cumbersome and time consuming.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the UN introduced simultaneous interpretation as a preferred method for the majority of UN meetings because it saved time and boosted the quality of output. The first UN team of simultaneous interpreters was put into operation in 1947 at a Tariffs and Trade Conference in London.

Since then, simultaneous interpretation has developed into the most widely used technique of interpreting in the world today, making multilingual debates easier and faster. This mode of interpretation confines interpreters to glass-encased booths aided with headsets/earpieces and microphones.

It is the most commonly used interpretation method at the African Union. Occasionally though, particularly during audiences in the Chairperson’s Office and job interviews, interpreters are expected to work in the consecutive mode.

Contrary to what the name suggests, simultaneous interpretation, is not actually done simultaneously. It is done with a lag between the speaker’s utterance and the interpreter’s rendition. The interpreter must analyze, process, then render the idea faithfully into the target language, remaining true to the original intent, register and meaning of the source language. All of this happens in a matter of seconds!!!

According to studies, the maximum number of words a human mind can retain at a given time is 9 or10:

the interpreter must therefore speak with a difference of only three or four words so as not to lose the main concept of the speaker’s statement or omit information that is essential to the audience. The interpreter is trained to convey not just words, but ideas as he/she relays the message from source to target language, making sure nothing is lost in translation.

Strange as this may seem, the interpreter must have a full and clear view of the speaker as the body language of the latter influences interpretation. Over and above this, it is absolutely necessary for the interpreter to have documentation well ahead of time.

In reputable Organizations like the UN, interpreters are each entitled to a complete folder of all the documents to be discussed at a meeting; days, weeks or even months before the meeting takes place. This includes speeches, PowerPoint presentations ,etc.

With the advent of the Internet, it is a lot easier today for participants at a given meeting to forward their write-ups before the date of the meeting. Even a draft will go a long way to facilitating the task of the interpreter.

Like most other jobs, interpretation is a very difficult but interesting job. It requires high profile professionals preferably people trained in well recognized graduate schools. It is not just an outlet for “quick bucks” for people who can speak more than one language as is the general belief nowadays. Poaching on the territory of interpretation, is an unfair and to some extent, illegal trade. It takes at least three years of post-graduate studies to qualify as a conference interpreter. However, it is worth noting that some people do naturally have a knack for it even without a proper training in interpretation schools. But ideally, it is preferable to learn the skills.

BABELby Pamela Bhroom Youth, English Interpreter, Editor-in-Chief



Machine translation is a type of software application where the programme performs the task of creating a target text in another language without human intervention. The sys-

tem was pioneered in the 1950s when IBM experimented with the translation of Russian into English.

However, machine translation has come a long way from the rule-based system of the past. It is increasingly used for “gisting”, that is to get an approximate translation for self -use. In other words machine translation can only be useful for getting an idea about what a text written in a foreign language means. With software like Google Translate, Wikipedia, Babel Fish,all that is required is a click of a computer mouse and a text is translated into a target lan-guage instantly. Financial constraints, coupled with the high cost of translation by humans and deadline pressure have conspired to make many consider it as the ultimate solution. But we need to be cautious here. Yes, machine translation is instantaneous and costs virtually nothing, but what about the quality of the output? Machines can translate words but not meanings. By definition, a machine or a piece of software will never understand the meaning of anything and you cannot translate if you do not understand the meaning. A case in point is the translation of the following three sentences in English by Google Translate:

• “Ship sinks to India” “Navire coule”.

• “The American President, George Bush is on a five day tour of the flood-prone areas”

Le président américain, George Bush est en tournée de cinq jours dans des zones les inondables.

• “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”

L’esprit est voulant mais la viande est molle

With the intervention of the human brain, the renderings of the above sentences in French are as follows:

• Navire coule au large des côtes indiennes;

• Le président américain effectue une tournée de cinq jours dans les zones inondables;

• L’esprit est fort mais la chair est faible or la volonté existe mais le corps ne suit pas.

Clearly, the machine translation tool could not understand the

meaning of the sentence and propose a mechanical equivalent. Machine translation follows systematic and formal rules and there-fore, cannot concentrate on a context and solve ambiguity.

One of the reasons why machine translation cannot replace pro-fessional human translation is the same reason why lay people who are merely bilingual, for many tasks, cannot replace profes-sional human translators. For most translation jobs, the task of translation requires more than just knowledge of two languages. The idea that you can simply create one-to-one equivalencies across languages is false.

Translators recreate language. They craft beautiful phrases and sentences to give them the same impact as the source. Often, they devise brand new ways of saying things, and to do so, they draw upon a lifetime’s worth of knowledge derived from living in two cultures. Machines cannot exactly do that even though they tend to be quite helpful when used to translate technical manuals or informative web pages. In reality, no translation can ever be complete without the human touch. Even as machine translators become more efficient in churning out translations that are more understandable, the need for humans to be part of the equation will always be there. A human translator can put finishing touch-es to a piece of work, enhancing and localizing it for the target audience. Proof readers and editors are always required by big organizations to ensure that a piece of translation is cohesive and grammatical.

Thus while machine translation may not be very useful to organi-zations, the same cannot be said about computer aided translation software designed to assist the human translator to be more pro-ductive. CAT tools such as SDLTrados, SDL Be Global, Systran, and Omega T, are increasingly being used by large international institutions to enhance productivity. These tools augment the skill of a human translator by enabling him/her to build a database of source document sentences and matching translations. Once translated, a sentence goes into the database and the translator can retrieve it and use it for exact matches or modify it where there is a close match. Translation memory also speeds productivity by filtering the text so that the translator does not have to view or bother with the underlying file format.

So, my view is that emphasis should be placed on statistical ma-chine translation to resolve the conundrum of delivering accurate translations at short deadlines. Even here there is the need for caution. With texts that are repetitive like resolutions and deci-sions, statistical machine can be very effective as large chunks of similar texts can be recovered by the system and then edited to reflect the changes introduced.

The world is changing and translation memory is offering a lot of assistance to translators. We can and should embrace such sys-tems to facilitate our work. Web based machine translation has come to stay and therefore it would be unwise to swim against the tide. Therefore, the question is, how can we harness and domesti-cate these wonderful technologies to help us in our work.

Machine Translationby George Mefful, English translator



Facts and FiguresThe on-going modernization drive within DCMP has been in-spired by the following objectives:

a)Provision of cost effective con-ference services;

b)Application of international standards in rendering services to clients;

c)Use of modern computerized equipment and software in its dai-ly operations;

d)Ensuring paper smart environ-ment and green conferencing by encouraging participants to down-load documents sent to them through e-mail, web pages, CDs/DVDs, etc..

Through its relentless pur-suit of the above objectives, since 2008, DCMP has record-ed remarkable achievements and produced tangible results.

By developing an in-house Workflow Management Sys-tem, DCMP has been able to achieve the following:

• Online Document Trans-lation Request: with this module anybody with intranet access or an Outlook address can log into the System and upload his/her document electronically. Through this System, translation requests can be forwarded to DCMP;

• Online Document Fol-low-Up: through this System doc-uments submitted electronical-ly can be traced by the end user while sitting in his/her office. This System can indicate the sta-

tus of documents within DCMP, whether under translation, revi-sion, proofreading or formatting;

• Translation Workflow Management: This module con-trols and tracks the movement of documents within DCMP. It also records the movement of docu-ments from the end user to the Documents Controller -> Director -> Document Controller -> Trans-lator -> Reviser -> Proof Reader;

• E-Mail Notification: The Workflow System has the abil-ity to notify staff through email, of their assignments as well as request them to complete and submit documents sent to them;

• Security Enabled: The confidentiality settings of the Workflow System have the fol-lowing three levels of security:

" Confidential: visible to the sender only;

" Departmental: visi-ble to the particular department members only;

" Public: visible to all AU Staff.

• Contact Information or Telephone Directory: This module enables anyone to re-trieve a Telephone Extension, Office Number, E-mail, and Postal Address. The end user can access this module by using Name, Department or Extension;

• Automatic Document Coding: The application gen-erates unique coding for each document submitted to DCMP;

• Events Management: This application registers the ap-proved Calendar of Meetings along with the planned time-line. It thus enables the en-tire Directorate to plan ahead;

• Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Annual Event Viewer: This module enables the entire Com-mission to view what is hap-pening within given periods of time. It also alerts the Security Unit and Protocol Division to assign staff for the said events;

• Room Reservation Module: This enables DCMP to make room reservations as per end users requests;

• Interpreter Assignment Module: This module enables the Interpreters’ Coordinator to assign Interpreters for meetings requested;

• Weekly Interpreter As-signment Module: This module enables the Interpreters to view their assignments from the System;

• Document Dispatch-er for Interpreters: This en-ables Interpreters to prepare for their meetings ahead of time;

• Meeting Documents Viewer: This module also enables interpreters to prepare ahead of time when they are assigned to service particular meetings;

• Summit Pages: Ev-ery year a new page is pre-pared for Embassies to enable them to access the current and previous years’ documents;

Facts and Figures


Facts and Figures

Online Printing Services Requests: The end user fills in the Printing Service Request electronically and the System can inform the end user how much paper to submit to the Printing Unit. It keeps track of the statistical information;

• Automatic Documentation and Archiving: With correct use of this application, no documents are lost or misplaced, and there is also no confusion concerning the different versions of a document. The System keeps documents aligned;

• AU Document Manage-ment System: The System holds all working documents, decisions and declarations since the inception of the African Union; • Reference Documents: The System provides DCMP staff and Commission staff as a whole with reference documents;

• Terminology Bank: This ensures uniformity of documents;

• Online Interpreter/Transla-tor Application Opportunities: any freelance interpreter or translator can submit an online application through this system;

• Improved Accountability: the System keeps track of all inter-actions concerning documents so that those who translated, revised, proof read or formatted the docu-ments can easily be identified;

• Storage of Statistical In-formation: The System registers each and every DCMP activity and generates various statistical infor-mation such as:

" How many pages are translated within a giv-en period;

" How many meetings are serviced within a given period;

" How many pages are reproduced within a given period;

" How many interpreters are involved.

• Freelance Database: The database keeps updated informa-tion on Freelance Staff (Revisers, Translators, and Interpreters);

• Green Meeting Initiative: a page has been developed contain-ing the current summit documents so that the staff of the Commis-sion can refer to them from the ConferenceWeb rather than print-ing hard copies. This has reduced the amount of reproduction done;

• Printing Workflow System: It automates the processes, reduces cost, ensures paperless environ-ment and curtails request process-ing by 100%;

• Designing of Translation Assistance Tools: this is compat-ible with Microsoft Word and re-duces translation time considerably;

• Automation of the Calen-dar of Meetings to have it integrat-ed into the ConferenceWeb and accessible to various stakeholders;

• Introduction of an SMS Sending Tool: This reduces com-munication time between the DCMP Coordination Unit and Interpreters who can be alerted about urgent assignments. Less than 30 minutes before a meeting, Interpreters receive SMS alerts about new, urgent meetings;

• Development of an in-house Reporting System: It en-ables staff to report regularly on progress made in the implementa-tion of their individual work plans. This reduces report generation time from a week to a click of a button that can be compiled within a day; Development of an E-suggestion Web Page to get client feedback and ensure regular client satisfac-tion assessment;

• Archiving 12 summit doc-uments in all working languages on one DVD, containing all Decisions from 1963 to date. The DVD con-tains 13,740 documents of 119,904

pages which, if printed, would consume 240 reams of paper; • Introduction of DVD duplication service: This has elimi-nated outsourcing of such services and reduced cost; • Creation of blogs: This has facilitated communication between Translators and Interpreters for purposes of harmonization, uni-formity, etc.;

• Introduction of the Color Warning System in green and red: With this system all delegations now respect their time limit for using the floor;

• Acquisition of software and equipment for digital recording of meetings;

• A Template for Evaluation of Freelance Staff; ensuring quality and transparency;

• Systematic communication and department outreach, through sensitization meetings with depart-ments, which are now attended at the senior management level;

• Implementation of Doc-ument Forecast: This enables the Directorate to forecast the number of documents to be received for processing two months in advance, ensuring better and more focused processing of documents for meet-ings;

• Use of Computer Aided Translation Tools: This speeds up translation and improves efficiency. MultiTrans tool has been pur-chased and staff have been trained on how to use them;

• Introduction of a Com-ment Collection Sheet: It regularly receives participants’ inputs in ar-eas where DCMP is doing well and the areas that need improvement; and

• Provision of Cost Esti-mates- for meetings to be held: This helps in the commitment of funds.

Facts and Figures continued


Meetings held in 2013

"Total Number

Of Meetings

Held"

Number Of Meetings

Held without Interpretation

"Number Of Meetings Held

with Interpretation"

"Average number of meetings held per

day"

"Average number of

meetings held with Interpretation per

day"

1276 722 554 5 2

Meetings held in 2013 by Number of languages "Total Number of Meetings Held" Number Of languages

327 252 3

167 44 54 6

554

Meetings held in January - March 2014

"Total Number Of Meetings

Held"

Number Of Meetings

Held without Interpretation

"Number Of Meetings Held

with Interpretation"

"Average number of

meetings held per day"

"Average number of meetings held with

Interpretation per day"

406 199 207 6 3

Meetings held January - 30th March 2014 by Number of languages"Total Number of Meetings Held" Number Of languages

1 1123 227 349 45 52 6

207

Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Meetings in the Approved Calendar 193 190 223 180 244

Total Number of Meetings serviced 453 440 497 449 554

Difference between number of meetings in the approved calendar and meetings serviced 260 250 274 269 310

Number of Meetings and Events Approved per year and those actually held



With the advent of the

ConferenceWeb,

total paper usage has been re-duced by 1,362,767 pages,

equivalent to

2,725 reams of paper

or

545 boxes of paper.

Year Arabic English French Portuguese ToTal

2013 15,402 2,583 17,794 15,586 51,365

2012 15,384 2,553 16,719 15,496 50,152

2011 16,209 2,167 17,538 15,944 51,858

2010 10,897 3,514 10,038 10,649 35,098

2009 8,166 2,676 8,349 8,228 27,419

ToTal 66,058 13,493 70,438 65,903 215,892

Number of Pages Translated from 2009 to 2013

DCMP E-Suggestion Box and Questionnaire

Suggestions from Member States: http://conferenceweb/SuggestionBox.aspx

or http://Webmail.africa-union.org/SuggestionBox.aspx

Questionnaire on the use of ConferenceWeb Web : http://conferenceweb/questioner.aspx

or http://conferenceweb/questioner.aspx/questioner.aspx

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Chart Showing Number of Translated Pages for each Department from July 2008 to date

Number of pages


Publishing DirectorNedjat Khellaf, Director DCMP

Editor-in-ChiefPamela Youth

Editorial BoardAngela B. UdohMIS Gassama

Victor AfagbegeeWalter C. Nhumbuavali

Layout and DesignHenok Ayele

Yonatan Tsehay

Web DesignMerga Deressa

Director of Conference Managment and Publications Tel. 00251 115 517 700

Directorate of Conference Managment and Publications

Tel. 00251 115 517 700E-mail: [email protected]

Members of the Editorial Board

The BRIDGE is a Quarterly Newsletter published by

the Directorate of Conference Managment and Publications

of the African Union Commission.

Views expressed in this Newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of

the AUCPrinted by AUC Printing and Publication Plant