Morocco Set to Officially Recognize Amazigh Language in Parliamentary Vote

The Amazigh language will soon be officialized. To achieve this, the Culture and Education Commission of the House of Representatives first validated the two organic bills relating to the officialization of Amazigh. The next and final step is the Parliament where the two bills will be submitted to the vote of the deputies.

The first one deals with the official character of the Amazigh language. After a heated debate and a tug-of-war that lasted several months at the level of the two Chambers, Tifinagh was finally adopted for writing.

Likewise, this bill has provided for the integration of the Amazigh language in education and its generalization in all cycles and throughout the national territory. Also, several official and administrative documents will have to integrate Amazigh. The use of the language will also be extended to litigants during investigation and pleading procedures.

The Parliament will have to set up a simultaneous interpretation service of its work, its bills and its decrees in Amazigh, and this, in a progressive way. Other measures are also planned, such as the obligation for administrations and other public bodies to introduce the Amazigh language, on an equal footing with Arabic, on the signs hung on their facades, details the same source.

Furthermore, the National Council of Moroccan Languages and Culture will provide technical support to the institutions concerned during the implementation period of the new system.

The House of Representatives has already adopted the organic law relating to the institutionalization of this Council. It will be responsible for the protection and development of the two official languages, as well as the Moroccan cultural expressions, as provided for in the Constitution of July 1, 2011.