SADC - vice secretary defends dissemination of foreign languages

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Deputy Executive Secretary, the Angolan Joao Caholo, has defended the need for the State to bet on the dissemination of French and English languages so that the country can penetrate easily in the Central and Southern markets of the continent. In an interview to the broadcasting programme "Manha Informativa" of the National Radio (RNA), Mr Caholo said that Angola for its own survival and prosperity of its businessmen had to bet on dissemination of languages, as it would facilitate the trading of products and services in those two regions of Africa. Commenting on the implementation of the organisation's projects, the Angolan engineer said that Angola, in the context of the SADC, would not face difficulties in executing programmes related to the Lobito Corridor and Benguela Railways Company, because besides its willingness there was also a financial engagement by the Angolan Government.

In his viewpoint, for an active participation in SADC, the country had to form own cadres with capacity of speaking English and French. With regard to regional protocols such as the free flow of goods and people, whose adhesion had not been done then, he said the ratification would happen when conditions were set. According to him, Angola did not join the SADC Trade Protocol firstly, because it had not conditions which enabled it to compete with firms of other member countries. On the protocol of free flow of people and goods, a document that Angola has not signed yet, Mr Caholo said he expected that the country presents a timetable on how it will solve this problem. Joao Caholo was elected to the post of SADC Deputy Executive Secretary last August 16, in Gaborone, Botswana. (Angola Press Agency, Luanda)