Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
gli stati africani, che PUR NON DISPONENDO di scrittura
English translation:
the African states, although their populations could not write
Italian term
Italy
Graduated from Westminster University
Native in: Italian
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian, English, and 1 more.
pur non avendo
Sep 18, 2008 09:27: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"
Sep 20, 2008 16:11: Tom in London Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
United Kingdom
Architecture, design, technical, etc.
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Italian to English
African states, although their populations could not write, did possess other forms of registration
United Kingdom
Over 20 years of satisfied clients
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Italian to English
even though they do not have
Italy
Responsive. Resourceful. Results.
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Italian to English, German to English
while they .....
Alison
Italy
Experienced translator ZH EN IT
Native in: Italian (Variants: Sicilian, Genoese, Standard-Italy, Tuscan / Toscano, Venetian)
Works in: English to Italian, Chinese to Italian, Italian to English, and 1 more.
event though they had no written forms
Seychelles
25 years experience constantly improving
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Italian to English
although they did not have
Note "records" for "registrazione"
some African States, which despite not having writing systems of their own,
Perhaps what is meant is that these nations did not have a common writing system rather than that they were 'unable' to write?
Tom is right: a nation cannot possess 'writing' but it can have a 'writing system'.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-18 13:22:28 GMT)
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... such as some African states, which ....
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