Burkina Faso to abandon French as Official Language

On Wednesday, the Burkinabè government approved a bill to amend the Constitution, officially designating national languages as the new official languages, while relegating French to the status of a "working language."

The Council of Ministers' report emphasizes that this legislation is part of the ongoing efforts during the transition period to undertake political, administrative, and institutional reforms, aiming to strengthen democratic culture and uphold the rule of law.

One of the "significant innovations" outlined in the new text is the substitution of national languages as official languages in place of French, which is now designated as a working language. Earlier this year, Mali, also governed by the military and experiencing strained relations with France, had similarly amended its Constitution through a referendum, adopting a comparable language policy.

The bill, subject to approval by the Transitional Legislative Assembly, also introduces measures for the establishment of traditional and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Noteworthy changes include the expansion of the Constitutional Council's responsibilities and the abolition of certain institutions, such as the High Court of Justice responsible for judging senior political figures and the Mediator of Faso.

The National Intelligence Agency (ANR) sees its status reinforced, now being constitutionally protected. Over the past months, Burkina has witnessed several demonstrations advocating for a new Constitution. Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power in September 2022, had committed to a partial modification of the Constitution two months ago.

Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachimson Kyelem of Tambela declared on Friday that the drafting of a new Constitution is a matter of political, economic, and cultural sovereignty, emphasizing the need to break away from concepts modeled on the French constitution.

Since Captain Traoré assumed power, Burkina has distanced itself from France, its former colonial power and historic partner, while fostering closer ties with Moscow. Burkina has been grappling with jihadist violence since 2015, resulting in over 17,000 casualties.