Burkina Faso’s Council of Ministers has greenlit a constitutional amendment, elevating local languages to official status and transforming French into a working language.
This groundbreaking decision, spearheaded by the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, marks a significant shift in the nation’s linguistic landscape.
Under the revised constitution, Burkina Faso embraces linguistic diversity by institutionalizing local languages as official, while French retains its role as a working language.
This move aims to distance the nation from its colonial past, fostering a sense of sovereignty and reinforcing cultural identity, as highlighted by La Nouvelle Tribune.
The comprehensive amendment doesn’t stop at language dynamics. It introduces pivotal reforms, including the expansion of the Constitutional Council’s powers and the admission of non-magistrates to the Supreme Council of the Judiciary.
These changes signify a deliberate effort to reshape Burkina Faso’s institutional framework, reflecting a departure from its colonial legacy.
Minister Bayala emphasized that this decision is a key component of an ambitious project to modernize the constitution, particularly in the aftermath of the military authorities assuming control following a coup d’etat in late September 2022.
Notably, this follows their earlier decision in August to terminate the country’s double taxation agreement with France.
Burkina Faso’s move echoes a regional trend. On July 22, Mali adopted a new constitution, bestowing official status upon local languages while relinquishing French as an official language.
Simultaneously, Morocco is currently undergoing educational reforms favoring English, and Algeria has designated Arabic as its official language, gradually phasing out French.
