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Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture Mohamed Sadiki has expressed his support for speeding up the process to officialize the Amazigh language, and make it a language on par with Arabic in official use.
The minister called the implementation of the language “a responsibility that everyone bears,” adding that the language is a crucial component of the Moroccan linguistic makeup.
The minister expressed his opinion during a signing ceremony of an officialization agreement between the ministry and the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture.
Sadiki further stated that the Amazigh language and culture is a national treasure, and should be given all the tools to allow it to flourish and be taught officially.
Morocco’s government has recently attempted to fasttrack the process that would see Amazigh become a truly official language. Earlier this year, it allocated a budget of MAD 200 million ($20 million) toward this cause.
The government upon being elected vowed to “catch up” with the delay in making the language official, guaranteeing that it will be institutionalized.
Read also: Morocco Announces New Partnership to Promote Amazigh Language, Culture
The language would be used in education, legislation, information and communication, in a similar capacity to Arabic or French, should the ambitions to institutionalize it go through.
“We are compelled, now more than ever, to be involved in workshops to make Amazigh the official language,” Sadiki added. “This is a national responsibility, as His Majesty the King had outlined in his speech for the Throne Day.”
The ministry’s agreement with the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture constitutes one of the steps for the government’s program to officialize the language.
The process is expected to take 15 years, with the program dividing its targets into short-term and long-term goals.
The language has already been implemented in some of the ministry’s websites and online forms, as well as its slogans and public communications.
