This archive report was first published on 3 July 2019.
On July 3, 2019, the African Union took a significant step towards promoting regional integration and sustainable development by backing Kiswahili as a continental language.
The move was announced as the AU prepared for its heads of State meeting on July 7, 2019. The African Academy of Languages, a specialised institution mandated to develop and promote African languages, has partnered with the East African Kiswahili Commission to promote the use of Kiswahili for regional integration and sustainable development.
According to the East African Kiswahili Commission, the adoption of Kiswahili as a continental language implies that there will always be a Kiswahili translator at all the bloc's official meetings, with documents, including treaties and agreements, also being authored in the East African language.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to join other African leaders for the AU Extra-Ordinary Summit and the first AfCTA meeting in Niamey, Niger on July 6, 2019.
A common language plays a crucial role in commerce, and African countries have adopted a number of official languages, including English, French, Arabic, and Portuguese, depending on their colonial heritage.
