Disagreements and tensions between Morocco and France certainly led the Kingdom to adopt measures aimed at strengthening the use of English to the detriment of French. In late September, Moroccan Industry Minister Riyad Mesour refused to speak in French during a conference in Marrakech. This posture of the Moroccan minister is “solid evidence of a national decision at the highest level aimed at abandoning the French language, which for decades was the second most spoken language in Morocco after Arabic, “other languages, in particular. English”, cited Hiba Press analysis Athalayar.
Read: News in English on Moroccan TV
Like Mezzour, senior Moroccan officials such as Mohcine Jazouli, the deputy minister in charge of investments, have recently spoken in English. This trend is also seen in the education sector. In June, the Aziz Akannouch government presented an initiative aimed at introducing the use of English among first, second and third year students from the academic year 2025-2026. Morocco hopes to make English the primary language in many subjects by 2027, to the detriment of French.
Read: Morocco: Teaching English in Public Secondary Schools
Apart from officers, young people also consider English as important. According to a 2022 British Council report, 40% of young people in Morocco consider English the most important language, compared to 10% who prefer French. Tensions between Rabat and Paris have intensified in recent months, particularly over French visa policy on Moroccans and the Élysée’s unclear position in the Sahara. After the September 8 earthquake, Morocco refused aid from France, sparking a lively controversy fueled by some in the French press.
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