Tanzania embraces Francophone strategy to boost Swahili

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzanian government is poised to adopt a strategy akin to that employed by French-speaking nations through the annual celebration of Francophone Day, to advance Kiswahili.

The strategies include language promotion, cultural and linguistic diversity, strengthening democracy and human rights, and fostering sustainable development.

The assurance was stated by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports, Mr Gerson Msigwa, during a gathering at the Swiss Residence on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

The embassy of Switzerland, alongside other Francophone embassies in Tanzania, convened to celebrate the French language.

Mr Msigwa highlighted the significance of the move, emphasising Tanzania's ongoing campaign to promote and standardise Kiswahili, which boasts approximately 500 million speakers globally.

“These are some of the efforts that the government, through the Swahili Council (Bakita) and various stakeholders, have strategically planned. From the 18th to the 22nd of March this year, we will have a conference of Kiswahili-language channels worldwide, which will take place in the Mbeya region,” Mr Msigwa said.

“We will invite radio and television broadcasters and social media influencers to discuss how we can use their platforms to promote Kiswahili, in line with the government's agenda to reach more people,” he said.

Moreover, he underscored the multifaceted benefits of promoting Kiswahili, including job creation, cultural preservation, attraction of investment, and societal cohesion.

“What the French speakers are demonstrating is something that we will also be doing on a similar scale for our Swahili language in the near future,” said Mr Msigwa.

On the other hand, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Tanzania, Mr Didier Chassot, also weighed in on the role of La Francophonie in advocating for cultural and linguistic diversity.

“Beyond its shared language, and even more importantly, La Francophonie is about common values, cultural diversity, peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, cooperation, dialogue, sustainable development, knowledge sharing, and education promotion. In that sense, la Francophonie is a common space that we want and need to continue to build together for safeguarding and promoting our cultures and values all around the world,” he said.

Established in 1970, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) is a multilateral body that brings together 88 states and governments that use French as a medium of cooperation.

It is dedicated to promoting the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity, strengthening democracy and human rights, and fostering sustainable development.

Switzerland has been a member of the IOF since 1996 and is now its third-largest contributor.

Switzerland's main areas of action within La Francophonie concern democracy, peace, and human rights; the promotion of International Geneva's digital ecosystem; and support for cultural and linguistic plurality.