Swahili: AU's official language
Swahili: AU's official language
Matome Sebelebele

8 July 2004

The African Union (AU), meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa this week, has adopted Swahili as its official language.

The AU's decision follows calls by African scholars and writers to promote the use of African languages in official documents and literature.

Internationally renowned writers such as Kenya's Ngugi wa Thiongo, who writes in Swahili, and South Africa's E'skia Mphahlele, have consistently argued that use of Swahili would enhance African Unity.

Delegates to the AU summit, including South African President Thabo Mbeki and Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomed the announcement of the decision with prolonged applause.

About 50 million people in East and Central Africa, particularly in Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya, speak Swahili. In addition, many people in Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo speak Swahili as a first or second language.

Although Swahili takes its roots from African Bantu languages, it is heavily influenced by Arabic - Swahili means "coast" in Arabic - because of the long-standing trade relationships in the region. The language also incorporates many contemporary words adapted from English.

Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, the outgoing AU chairperson, addressed the summit in Swahili, urging delegates and their countries to learn the language, saying that Swahili was unique, containing "wisdom, culture and dignity" that could not be translated or found elsewhere.

The AU's forerunner, the Organisation of African Unity, used English, French and Arabic as its main languages.