English translation: South Programme / Developing Countries Programme
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French to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase:"programme sud"
Hi all,
Here is the context:
"Le [DATE], le [ORGANISATION], le [ORGANISATION] et le [ORGANISATION] signaient un accord relatif aux principes directeurs de la coopération universitaire et aux nouvelles modalités stratégiques de ses actions « sud » à partir de [YEAR].
La Nouvelle Stratégie Sud
Les éléments essentiels de cet accord sont les suivants :
1. Fusion de toutes les activités et programmes sud actuels ([LIST]) au sein d’un « programme sud » unique, financé par un subside global.
2. Élaboration d’un programme stratégique sud de [#] ans ([YEAR - YEAR]) structuré en deux plans d’actions de [#] ans.
3. Programmation budgétaire triennale, avec budget garanti pour 3 ans, dans les limites du budget approuvé par le Parlement.[#]% du budget triennal du Programme Sud global doivent être programmés en début d’exercice. Les [#]% restants peuvent être programmés en cours de plan d’action triennal.
[...]
5. Marge libre : une marge libre de [#] % de l’ensemble du budget de la stratégie Sud est prévue pour des propositions non nécessairement liées à la concentration géographique. [...]
This term comes up a lot in a strategic plan I am translating. It seems clear to me that this use of "sud" refers to developing countries, but I am not 100% sure, and even so I am not sure how to translate this. I have found a couple of sources that say that in English one can, indeed, simply say "countries of the South" vs. "countries of the North" or "northern countries" and "southern countries" as translations of "pays du sud" and "pays du nord." To me this sounds wrong/completely bizarre, but I am a US native so to me the South means the southern US (Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, etc.) and "Southern countries" makes me think of South America, and even then it sounds awkward. However, a UK English speaker or someone from elsewhere might not share this feeling - maybe it's perfectly normal and I'm wrong.
Either way, I can't decide how to translate "Programme Sud." If it's true that pays du Sud = countries of the South, would it just be "Southern Programme"? "South Programme"? "Programme for the South?" And if not, if I have to translate "pays du Sud" as "developing countries," then where does that leave me? "Programme for Developing Countries?" Something like that? I just need some help from someone more experienced in this field and/or not from the US.
This got long, sorry! I appreciate the help. I am also waiting to hear from the client but I am afraid I won't get a response until Monday and this is such a big part of this translation that I don't think I can proceed very far without help, and I don't want to just twiddle my thumbs all weekend.
Explanation: The characterisation of North and South is associated with the Dependency theories of A G Frank, Furtado, Cardoso and Prebisch, though it predates them. See the reference below.
Whether or not you use the term depends upon the audience and philosophical/political intentions of the author. In any case, I'd generally only use it if the context had previously been made clear.
The authors mentioned above were mainly concerned with the underdevelopment of S. America by Western capitalism. They weren't taking Australia or New Zealand into account and weren't particularly focussed on Africa either.
Looking at Just Opera's answer, which is possible though involves the use of an English acronym, I remembered that Interreg III also has a "Programme sud". (www.dgfc.sgpg.meh.es/.../ProgramaSur.aspx -
"Programme sud. Interreg III est l'initiative communautaire du Fonds européen de développement régional en faveur de la coopération entre régions de l'Union ..."). There could be any number of particular programmes going by this name, so you might need to check what it means in the context of the particular organisation(s) involved.
How did you control your search to prevent the results including references that had nothing to do with this particular context of economic development?
Sangro Local time: 14:32 Works in field Native speaker of: English, Romanian PRO pts in category: 8
14 hrs confidence:
\"programme sud\"
South Programme / Developing Countries Programme
Explanation: The characterisation of North and South is associated with the Dependency theories of A G Frank, Furtado, Cardoso and Prebisch, though it predates them. See the reference below.
Whether or not you use the term depends upon the audience and philosophical/political intentions of the author. In any case, I'd generally only use it if the context had previously been made clear.
The authors mentioned above were mainly concerned with the underdevelopment of S. America by Western capitalism. They weren't taking Australia or New Zealand into account and weren't particularly focussed on Africa either.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 16 hrs (2012-01-28 13:11:59 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
wikipedia: The Sustainable Urban Development Network (SUD-Net) is a United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–HABITAT) - supported initiative to promote sustainable urban developmen
Reference information: Yes, you can say countries of the South and countries of the North.
From a Wiki for the North-South Divide: The north–south divide is a socio-economic and political division that exists between the wealthy developed countries, known collectively as "the north", and the poorer developing countries (least developed countries), or "the south." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North–South_divide
And an excerpt from a New York Times article: North-South Divide Is Marring Environment Talks
As the nations of the world map a plan of action to preserve Earth's environment, their meetings have been bogged down by the old battles between the wealthy, industrial countries of the north and the poor, underdeveloped countries of the south. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/17/world/north-south-divide-i...
You can find more references by googling "north south countries"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 55 mins (2012-01-27 21:57:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
@ Roberta:
1) I would probably translate the text as is, although for the first occurrence I might say "the underdeveloped countries of the South."
2) Even if the terms "North" and "South" are dated, they are in your source text. And, although the NY Times article I gave as a reference dates from 1992, here are some more recent ones:
If tropical countries were allowed to export their crops from the South to the North, in return for guarantees that the fuels were produced responsibly, then the countries of the South would be given a chance at economic development, and consumers in the North could fill up on biofuels with full confidence that their potential was being realized. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/opinion/14iht-edlet.1.1196...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs (2012-01-28 03:25:45 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Oops! I take back #1 in my last Note on this reference. :o
If I were to add a glossing adjective, I would say "the developing countries of the South," not "the underdeveloped countries..."
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs (2012-01-28 03:27:12 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Tip: Try googling "developing countries of the south" [in quotes].
cc in nyc United States Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 111
Note to reference poster
Asker: You're the best! Thanks :) Do you think I should also make some mention of developing countries/developed countries, as both of these examples do, just to make it clear that that's the context?
Asker: I checked out the Wikipedia page, I did see that it said "The expression "north–south divide" is still in common use, but the terms "North" and "South" are already somewhat outdated." Do you think this is true? I just want to make sure it's clear, while also being accurate to the original. Sorry to pester you ;)
Reference information: ACCORD SUR LA RÉFORME DE LA COOPÉRATION UNIVERSITAIRE
It's a long doc, but by skimming through it, one can get a very clear idea of what they mean by programme sud, which is originally a EU concept.
Après deux années d’intenses négociations, le Ministre de la Coopération
au Développement, Charles Michel, et les Présidents du VLIR et du CIUF
signaient, le 22 avril 2010, un accord relatif aux principes directeurs de
la coopération universitaire et aux modalités stratégiques de sa mise
en oeuvre dans le cadre de ses actions sud. Les principales innovations
contenues dans le protocole d’accord concernent la reconnaissance des
spécificités de la coopération universitaire, l’importance des principes
des appels à propositions – qui garantissent une démarche participative
et la qualité scientifique des interventions –, la concentration géographique
et la mise en place de programmes de travail étalés sur six ans. http://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/binaries/CUD_rapport_annuel_...
writeaway Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 54
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
