Rabat – A bill requiring people to have “adequate knowledge” of Amazigh as a criteria for obtaining Moroccan citizenship was presented at the House of Councillors — the upper house of the Moroccan parliament — and unanimously approved on January 31.
The bill stems from Article 11 Dahir No. 1.58.250 on the Moroccan Nationality Code, and its adoption reflects the status of Amazigh as an official language in Morocco along with Arabic.
During the presentation of the bill, Moroccan Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi noted that this bill comes as part of “the implementation of the constitutional” reforms Morocco has undertaken over the past decade.
He concluded his introduction to the new amendment by stating it is an official requirement to know “adequate” Arabic or Amazigh to apply for Moroccan citizenship.
After his party won Morocco’s general elections in 2022, Head of Government 2021 Aziz Akhannouch vowed that his administration would give importance to the officialization of Amazigh within the country.
Reuters reported on Monday that the number of children learning Amazigh in Morocco at school is decreasing.
The number has reduced by 5% since 2010, Reuters detailed, adding that 9% of children are learning one of Morocco’s official languages as of 2023.
According to the same source, only a quarter of Morocco’s population speaks Amazigh.
