International Mother Language Day 2026
Opening Remarks
As delivered in English, Fulani, Arabic and French
By
Mr. Aboubakri Diaw
Chief of Staff, on behalf of the
ECA Executive Secretary
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
25 February 2026
Excellencies:
The Ambassador of Bangladesh,
Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Ethiopia,
The Representative of UNESCO and Director of its Liaison Office to the African Union,
La Représentante permanente de l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
مُمَثِّلُ جَامِعَةِ الدُّوَلِ العَرَبِيَّةِ, (Arabic)
Distinguished partners in multilingualism,
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me start with my mother tongue!
Neddo mo alaa demngal wayi kono lekki ki alaa dadi.
A person without their language is like a tree without roots. (Fulani)
This reflects the Fulani worldview — a worldview in which identity, dignity and moral character are transmitted through speech. In our tradition, language is not merely a tool; it is inheritance. It carries lineage, values and memory across generations.
A tree without roots may appear upright for a time, but it cannot withstand strong winds. It cannot draw nourishment from the soil. It cannot grow with stability, nor can it bear lasting fruit. Its existence becomes fragile.
In the same way, when individuals or societies are disconnected from their language, they risk losing the foundations that sustain confidence, belonging and continuity. Language anchors identity. It shapes thought. It preserves the wisdom of elders and transmits it to the young.
And importantly, roots do not prevent growth — they make growth possible.
A tree that is deeply rooted can grow taller, expand wider and interact more resiliently with its environment. Likewise, a young person grounded in their mother tongue is better equipped to learn other languages, navigate complexity and innovate with confidence.
From a development perspective, linguistic roots are not nostalgic attachments; they are foundations of resilience. And resilience is indispensable to Africa’s structural transformation.
It is a great honour to join you today in celebrating International Mother Language Day.
Since its proclamation in 2000, this Day has invited us to reflect on the profound relationship between languages, knowledge, identity and peace. Languages are not merely instruments of communication; they shape cognition, structure belonging and transmit collective memory across generations.
Permettez-moi de souligner que la langue est aussi un espace de construction sociale.
Elle forge la confiance, elle nourrit la pensée critique et elle rend possible la participation active à la vie démocratique.
This year’s theme — “Multilingual education and the voice of young people” — challenges us to move from symbolism to structural responsibility.
In Africa, where more than 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 25, giving youth a voice is not a rhetorical aspiration; it is a development necessity. The language in which a child first learns often determines whether that child will thrive academically, participate economically and contribute confidently to society.
Multilingual education grounded in mother languages is therefore not a cultural luxury. It is a strategic investment in human capital.
وَمِنْ مَنْظُورٍ حَضَارِيٍّ وَتَنْمَوِيٍّ، فَإِنَّ اللُّغَةَ الأُمَّ تَمْنَحُ الإِنْسَانَ جُذُورَهُ وَهُوِيَّةَ انْتِمَائِهِ؛
وَعِنْدَمَا يُتَاحُ لِلشَّبَابِ التَّعَلُّمُ بِلُغَتِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَكْتَسِبُونَ الْمَعْرِفَةَ فَحَسْبُ، بَلْ يَكْتَسِبُونَ الثِّقَةَ وَالْقُدْرَةَ عَلَى الِابْتِكَارِ
Africa is home to more than 2,000 languages — the richest linguistic diversity in the world. This diversity should not be perceived as fragmentation, but as strategic capital. When intelligently integrated into education systems, multilingualism strengthens social cohesion and enhances learning outcomes.
However, our reflection must also extend to the digital frontier.
In the age of artificial intelligence, languages that are not digitally represented risk becoming economically and culturally invisible. Algorithms learn from data. If African languages are absent from digital platforms, research datasets and technological ecosystems, our narratives and markets will be underrepresented in the architecture of the future.
À l’ère du numérique, préserver nos langues signifie aussi les intégrer dans les systèmes technologiques, les bases de données et les outils d’intelligence artificielle.
Il ne s’agit plus seulement de mémoire culturelle, mais de souveraineté numérique.
Twenty-six years after the establishment of this Day, progress is visible. Mother-tongue education is increasingly recognized in early childhood development and literacy strategies. Yet linguistic erosion continues, and many languages remain marginalized in formal systems.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development reminds us that the Goals are indivisible. From health communication to climate resilience, from financial inclusion to conflict prevention, effective policy depends on communicating in languages that people understand and trust.
وَإِنَّ تَحْقِيقَ الْهَدَفِ الرَّابِعِ مِنْ أَهْدَافِ التَّنْمِيَةِ الْمُسْتَدَامَةِ التَّعْلِيمِ الْجَيِّدِ وَالْمُنْصِف
يَقْتَضِي أَنْ تَكُونَ اللُّغَةُ جِسْرًا لِلْفَهْمِ، لَا عَائِقًا أَمَامَهُ.
At the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, we view multilingualism as integral to inclusive structural transformation. Under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the ability of African youth to participate meaningfully in regional value chains depends not only on connectivity and mobility but also on linguistic inclusion — the capacity to communicate effectively across diverse languages of trade, digital platforms and innovation systems. ECA will continue to leverage its normative research and convening role to support Member States in embedding multilingual approaches into national and regional development frameworks. It is central to Africa’s structural transformation and to achieving the promise of the 2030 Agenda. Economic integration and technological progress must strengthen — not weaken — cultural diversity.
Allow me to conclude with a simple reflection.
When we protect mother languages, we protect dignity.
When we promote multilingual education, we expand opportunity.
And when young people can think, learn and innovate in languages that reflect who they are, we strengthen the foundations of peace and sustainable development.
Vive les langues maternelles au service du développement et de la cohésion.
وَعَاشَتِ اللُّغَاتُ الأُمُّ قُوَّةً لِلْوَحْدَةِ وَالتَّقَدُّمِ.
Thank you.