The French Institute of Tunisia (IFT) has launched the first session of its Publication Support Programme (PAP) for 2024. The aim of the Abdelwahab Meddeb Publication Support Programme is to encourage publishing projects that are innovative in terms of content and form, particularly in the fields of contemporary literature, children's literature and/or comics, with the aim of reaching a wide audience. Particular attention will be paid to projects involving translation from French into Arabic or from Arabic into French. Priority will be given to contemporary fiction and to the discussion of ideas that promote closer ties between the French-speaking and Arabic-speaking worlds. All types of works are eligible (except textbooks, technical works, guides or practical books). The deadline for submissions is February 29, 2024. The results will be announced on March 29, 2024. The call for the second session is scheduled for June 28 2024. Over the last 30 years, these programmes have contributed to the translati on and publication of more than 15,000 titles by French-speaking authors in 75 countries. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse National Engineering Coordinating Team (NECT), says it will enforce strict compliance to non-encroachment of road reservations to curb the preventable cost the State incurs.? As part of efforts to improve their operations within the context of road reservations, stakeholders within the utilities, telcos, departments of the Roads Ministry and engineers from the various district Assemblies held a meeting in Accra to strengthen coordination Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, President of NECT, said the meeting was to discuss ways to reduce encroachment on road reservations, which had become a huge source of cost in road construction. He said road reservations across the country had been encroached on to the extent that encroachers had to be compensated at huge cost at the expense of the State, adding that with strong coordination, that would not happen. 'As a country, we spend a lot of money in paying for relocation of squatters. But if we're coordinating properly and working with the assemblies, then these issues would come to an end,' Dr Ashigbey said.? He urged the Assemblies who had the mandate to issue permits and their technical officers to step up their efforts. 'Issues with permits would be forwarded to the regional NECT so that considerations would be made at that level for strict compliance. We would come out with a policy guideline document backed with the law which would be launched by the President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo to ensure good road reservation in the country, especially in the rural areas,' he said.? Mr Bukari Percy Annab, President of Ghana Institute of Planning, said the lack of strong coordination between the infrastructure sector and the utilities was costing the State a lot of money in terms of road contract sums due to payments for compensations and other variations. As the Organising Secretary for NECT, he urged the District Assemblies to do due diligence in granting permits for any form of construction, to avoid encroachment. Source: Ghana News Agency