It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood. Karl Popper
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The
Arabic Language at the United Nations
Pursuant to
General Assembly resolution 3190 (XXVIII)
(
French) of 18 December 1973, in that year Arabic became the
sixth official and working language of the General Assembly of
the United Nations and its main commissions, the others being
Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
When the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(UN-ESCWA) was established in 1973, Arabic, English and French were
adopted as its official and working languages. It was decided
that Arabic should be the original language in which all
resolutions are formulated and into which all technical and
other documents issued in languages other than Arabic should be
translated (Terms
of Reference and Rules of Procedure of the Economic and Social
Commission for Western Asia, rule 25 and 28).
Given that UN-ESCWA is located in the Arab region and plays
an important supporting role in conveying information to
Arabic-speakers and standardizing terminology, it is hoped that
this site will be a forum in which official and academic
institutions and individuals who specialize in the Arabic
language and various technical areas may put forward proposals
to promote the optimal use of that language within the United
Nations.
UN-ESCWA 2010.