Morocco's ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti Nezha Alaoui M'hammdi highlighted Tuesday in Addis Ababa Morocco's ongoing commitment to promoting translation and safeguarding national linguistic diversity.
Speaking at a ceremony organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and its partners on the occasion of International Translation Day, Alaoui M'hammdi spoke of the Kingdom's pioneering role, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in safeguarding and promoting the Arabic language, all aspects of Amazigh, and the Hassani dialect as part of the national linguistic heritage.
She recalled that Morocco has implemented a language policy aimed at preserving the Kingdom's rich and diverse linguistic heritage through its constitutionalization and officialization, while promoting its use within the administration, public institutions, and national media through simultaneous translation services.
This initiative, she noted, illustrates the key role of translation as a tool for bringing the administration closer to citizens, on the one hand, and as a vehicle for safeguarding linguistic diversity, on the other.
Alaoui M'hammdi, dean of the Arab diplomatic corps in Addis Ababa, added that the celebration of International Translation Day, established by the United Nations in 2017 at the initiative of the International Federation of Translators, and commemorated since 1991, is an annual opportunity to reaffirm the importance of joint action and solidarity in preserving this invaluable tool.
In this regard, the diplomat spotlighted the role of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in facilitating dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among nations, as well as in the exchange of knowledge among peoples, in the service of development and common prosperity, recalling that this organization also contributes to the promotion of peace and security.
She also praised the work of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), affiliated with the League of Arab States, highlighting in particular the efforts of the Arab Center for Arabization, Translation, Editing and Publishing (Damascus), which is working to translate dozens of important academic works and references.
Machine translation remains limited, particularly in its ability to convey the beauty of texts and the essence of great literary works, the diplomat noted, recalling that the expressive skill of writers, capable of inventing beautiful metaphors and sparking deep emotions, remains a prerogative unique to humans.
MAP: 30 September 2025
