UNESCO Adopts Kiswahili as an Official Working Language at General Conference

UNESCO Adopts Kiswahili as an Official Working Language at General Conference
…………

Kiswahili has gained historic recognition on the global stage following UNESCO’s decision to adopt it as one of the official working languages of its General Conference. The announcement was made on 11 November during the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 30 October to 13 November 2025.

Tanzania was invited to deliver a national statement marking the milestone, presented by Ali Jabiri Mwadini, the country’s ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. He described the decision as a major achievement for Tanzania, Africa and the more than 200 million Kiswahili speakers worldwide. He added that Tanzania would continue working with UNESCO to promote the language through research, global teaching centers and digital education initiatives.

The inclusion of Kiswahili makes it the seventh official language used during UNESCO’s General Conference, joining Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. It is also the first African-origin language to receive this status, highlighting UNESCO’s commitment to linguistic diversity, cultural inclusion and the advancement of African languages in international cooperation.

The recognition supports UNESCO’s Operational Strategy for Priority Africa (2022–2029), particularly its focus on strengthening cultural heritage and expanding the use of African languages in global dialogue. Kiswahili, which originated along East Africa’s coastline and developed through centuries of cultural exchange, serves as an official language of the African Union, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community.