It is almost impossible, nowadays, to read an article or a book on Africa without consulting a dictionary in order to decipher the abbreviations. Acronyms and abbreviations on Africa have increased so much during the last 10 years that readers and researchers sometimes feel ill equipped to undertake research on Africa.

To publish a directory of acronyms concerning Africa today, is to accomplish the task of a pioneer. Besides some lists of acronyms that one can find inside some reference books, very interesting indeed but very short, no recent directory of any significance exists.

The pressing need for a directory of abbreviations and acronyms on Africa has long been felt. My personal curiosity and the needs of my profession encouraged me to investigate this field and thus was born this repertoire. It condenses seven years of research.

The purpose of publishing this directory is to help researchers and readers of publications concerning Africa to tackle the mountain of abbreviations they discover in works on Africa. Besides the development of the acronyms themselves, researchers and readers will find in this directory some chronological, historical, political, social and econonomic data of major importance. Hoppefully this directory will fill the gap and constitute part of the solution.

The directory includes besides the official African abbreviations, those of the international organizations and those of non-governmental organizations, including religious institutions and many others. The directory also includes a list of some useful addresses concerning the organizations indicated above. It is an indispensable tool for all libraries and individuals dealing with African material, and while not exhaustive, it constitutes an answer to present needs.

This publication is the product of support of various kinds, cooperation and contributions of a large number of institutions as well as many individuals. I am indebted to all who have contributed significantly with ideas and advice.

The final presentation of the manuscript for the English part was revised by Mrs. Claire Tierney, for the Italian part by Mr. Gianni Hochkofler and for the French part by Miss Jacqueline Claire. The symbol (*) indicates that an address can be found in the second part of this directory.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Abbreviations and acronyms on Africa have increased so much during the last years that readers and researchers sometimes feel discouraged to undertake their research projects concerning Africa. This Directory constitutes a part of the Solution.

By its presentation of the most commonly used English and French abbreviations and acronyms, this directory provides a long-needed tool, not only for African Governments, but also for European Governments, International Organisations, NGO's, teachers, students and researchers concerned with African affairs.
The directory provides a key to a wide spectrum of abbreviations and acronyms used in several fields, such as African associations (including professional associations), agriculture, banking, forestry and fisheries, arts, education, economics and finance, EEC-ACP relations, government and politics, international aid and co-operation, international organisations, international relations, law, liberation movements, militarism, medicine and public health, NGO's activities, peace and war, press, radio and telecommunications, religion, science and technology, social change, trade and industry, transport and tourism, etc.
The directory includes the official African abbreviations, those of the International Organisations and those of Non-Governmental Organisations. It is an indispensable tool for all libraries dealing with African materials and constitutes an answer to present needs. CONTENTS :

Part I : This part contains a list of more than 6,000 abbreviations and acronyms, classified in alphabetical order.

Part II : Last, but not least, this part contains a list of some useful addresses related to the abbreviations and acronyms listed in this directory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joffre Dias was born in an Angolan Christian Protestant family in 1942 and he is now living in Geneva where he has lived since 1981. He holds a Swiss Diploma of Library Sciences and a Diploma from the Graduate Institute of Development Studies, from which he graduated in 1984. Before coming to Geneva he studied in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and at the Library School of the Catholic Institute of Paris (France). He did his Primary and High School education in Angola.

Joffre Dias presently serves as librarian in the Missionary Department of the Protestant Churches of the Swiss French Part in Lausanne. Before he worked closely with the Graduate Institute of Development Studies in Geneva for several years, at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and finally at the World Council of Churches (WCC), both based in Geneva.

Joffre Dias has six primary interests : respect and defence of human and civil rights in the Third World (particularly in Africa), the consequences of war and military armament in Africa, settlement of peace, not only in Africa, but all over the World, the relationship beetween war and socio-economic problems in Africa, the economic and technical cooperation beetween the so called developed countries and the Third World (notably in Africa), and the role of Churches in socio-economic development of Africa. This includes economic development, education for development and education for peace, and implementation of respect and defence of human and civil rights and the rights of children.

He is the author of :

• Pouvoir politique et éducation : le cas de l'Angola. - Genève, 1983. - 56 p. (out of print)
  
  
• Contribution à la connaissance de l'édition, la diffusion et le développement des publications concernant l'Afrique. - Genève, 1985. - 39 p. (out of print)
  
  
• Quelques considérations sur les implications idéologiques, politiques et sociales de l'éducation des adultes en Angola. - Genève, 1985. - 41 p. (out of print)
  
  
• Le Panafricanisme et l'Organisation de l'Unité Africaine : synthèse historique et bibliographique. - Genève, 1988. - 82, VII p. (out of print)
  
  
• Guia bancário e dos Organismos financeiros dos países de língua oficial portuguesa (PALOP). - Genebra, 1989. - 51 p.
  
  
• Militarism, armament and social change in Africa : reflections and a guide research bibliography. - Geneva, 1989. - 109, XIII p. (out of print)
  
  
• Le Panafricanisme et l'Organisation de l'Unité Africaine : synthèse historique et bibliographique. - 2e éd. - Genève, 1990. - 185, XVIII p.
  
  
• Militarism, armament and social change in Africa : reflections and a guide research bibliography. -2nd ed., enlarged, revised and updated. - Geneva, 1993. - 130 p.