International Translators’ Day: Need For Effective Communication Echoed

“C ommunication is in­ complete without comprehension” this was echoed by the Inspector General for the Evaluation of Service Performance at the Ministry of the Economy, Plan­ ning and Regional Develop­ ment (MINEPAT), Professor Abolo Mbita Christian, during the commemoration of the 36th edition of the interna­ tional day of translation or­ ganized by MINEPAT on Sep­ tember 30, 2026 in Yaounde. The session that united trans­ lators and linguists from se­ veral administrative hubs in Cameroon was convened un­ der the global theme “Linguis­ tic diversity and language rights”. It further availed an opportunity for practitioners to evaluate their work trajec­ tory especially at a time when advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data can either make or mar the translation corps. Edifying the participants on behalf of Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey during the ope­ ning ceremony, Professor Abolo Mbita Christian unders­ cored that, “ensuring access to information is not limited to making a document availa­ ble in another language, rather it is imperative for the trans­ lator to note core tendencies of context, tradition, and emo­ tions imbibed in the commu­ nication process. Concurrently, the intended audience should be able to grasp the meaning and understand the implication of the message conveyed,” he said. He added that this aligns with MINEPAT’s sub theme for the one-day workshop that belabours translators’ shift from the obligation to trans­ late, to the duty to ensure understanding of translated texts for a more inclusive p...