East African Community Adds Kiswahili and French as Official Languages.
The East African Community (EAC) has formally acknowledged Kiswahili and French as new official languages of the region.
This significant decision was made during the 24th Ordinary Summit of the East African Heads of State, held in Tanzania, where the amendment to Article 137 of the EAC treaty was signed and approved.
Previously, Article 137 of the treaty had only recognized English as the official language, while Kiswahili was designated as the lingua franca, intended to be developed as a common language across the Community.
However, the EAC had not yet implemented a formal policy to ensure Kiswahili’s recognition across all eight member states.
Kiswahili and French Usage in the Region
Currently, Kiswahili is widely spoken in Tanzania and Kenya, and partially used in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Somalia.
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French, on the other hand, is the official language in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, and Rwanda, strengthening its significance in the region.
In addition to this historic language decision, President William Ruto of Kenya was appointed as the new EAC chairperson for the 2024/25 term, with President Hussein Mohamud of Somalia being named the rapporteur. The position of chairperson was previously held by President Salva Kiir of South Sudan.
President Ruto pledged to focus on advancing peace, stability, and economic development to strengthen intra-EAC trade and investment.
He emphasized that trade plays a crucial role in driving economic growth and regional integration, and stressed the importance of addressing internal barriers to trade within the region.
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He called for the elimination of non-tariff barriers, improvement of infrastructure connectivity, and the fostering of regulatory harmonization to create a seamless trading environment that will boost competitiveness and economic growth across the EAC.
East African Community Adds Kiswahili and French as Official Languages.
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