The right language? Franco-centrism --- What do we think of the sensitivities of languages and the prevalence of English and sometimes French in diplomatic circles?

I once had to give an intervention on behalf of the French ministry of foreign affairs. I was told there would be no translators so -contrary to MFA guidelines -prepared it in English; it turned out a translator was provided and the speech in English infuriated Francophone counterparts.

Source author: Etienne Berges etienneberges@redcross.org.uk