The Glossary on Digital Policy is a tool for ensuring harmonisation across languages when producing documents on digital policy in Africa. This instrument addresses the need to improve the translation of policy documents in this complex and constantly evolving field. The glossary seeks to use the most accurate terminology in each official language of the African Union (AU). Additionally, it attempts to assist readers and recipients by standardising the vocabulary used to simplify the reading and translation processes.
Based on the AU Data Policy Framework and related documents, the glossary is tailored to the African context while simultaneously being compatible and aligned with the terminology used beyond the continent. Available in the six official languages of the African Union (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese and Spanish), it brings together the vocabulary, policy and legal frameworks of relevant players in the field of digital policy in Africa. For a more intuitive use of the glossary, these three lexicon categories are separated into three distinct tabs.
You can access the glossary here: RIA Glossary Digital Policy African Union (Google Sheets document) with full functionality and for download.
This glossary is freely available and we hope that it will prove a valuable resource for professionals carrying out translation and editing work in the field of digital governance and regulation in Africa. This tool is also intended for anyone wishing to produce information or educational content. It is a comprehensive compendium of the official names of the instruments, frameworks, and players operating in this field on the continent in six languages.
In order to remain accurate and up to date and to best reflect consensus and terminological developments in the six official languages of the African Union, the database is designed to be a dynamic tool that can be adapted, updated, enriched and corrected on an ongoing basis, thanks to contributions from the broadest possible range of stakeholders.
The glossary was compiled by Marie Batista, who coordinated and researched the terminology in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic. The glossary also benefited from the invaluable contributions of Belén Álvarez Montalbán (Spanish), Abdeljelil Larbi (Arabic) and Emmanuel Mutai (Kiswahili), whom we would like to thank for their meticulous terminological work.
