How Kiswahili language contributes to diplomatic ties

DAR ES SALAAM: AS Tanzania marks 64 years of Independence, Kiswahili is emerging not just as a national treasure but a sweeping force reshaping diplomatic and cultural ties across Africa and beyond.

Born out of the liberation-era vision of unity and identity, the language is rapidly becoming one of the continent’s most powerful tools of influence.

Recently, Kiswahili made history when UNESCO recognised it as one of the working languages of its General Conference, a milestone moment for an African-origin language.

According to Mr Ali Jabiri Mwadini, Tanzania’s Ambassador to France and the Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, said: “This is a major achievement… for Tanzania, Africa and the millions of Kiswahili speakers worldwide. Tanzania will continue to cooperate with UNESCO … supporting Kiswahili teaching centres worldwide and digital technologies in the provision of education.”

For Tanzania, that declaration was more than symbolic. It opened doors for greater cultural diplomacy, signalling that Kiswahili deserves a place at the table of global discourse.

The recognition coincides with UNESCO’s broader strategy to promote African languages in its framework, particularly under its Operational Strategy for Priority Africa (2022–2029). Back home and across East Africa, the language’s rise has been equally deliberate.

During the Third East African Community (EAC) World Kiswahili Language Day in July 2024, regional leaders and Kiswahili experts pressed for legal reform to elevate Kiswahili’s status in the EAC.

An EAC press release had it that Ms Aisha Jumwa, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, called Kiswahili “our unifying language… I urge all EAC Partner States to push for laws and policies to be written and published in Kiswahili.”

The call carried weight. Justice Nestor Kayobera, President of the East African Court of Justice, underlined why the language matters in legal systems: “Most people speak Kiswahili… adopting Kiswahili would make justice more accessible.”

Meanwhile, Dr Caroline Asiimwe, the Executive Secretary of the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC), reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting the language across educational systems and public institutions.

“We will work with all regional stakeholders to ensure we realise our goal,” she said.

These words reflect a broader strategic alignment: Kiswahili is no longer just a lingua franca, but a mechanism for integration, economic cooperation and shared identity.

The EAKC’s mission, Dr Asiimwe emphasised how the language enhances cross‑border communication, trade, social cohesion and people‑centred socio‑economic development. At the same time, Kiswahili is gaining momentum in Southern Africa.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc formally adopted Kiswahili as an official working language in 2019, a decision documented in its institutional records.

The move acknowledged both Kiswahili’s growing use and its symbolic importance rooted in shared histories and liberation-era solidarity.

The rising prestige of Kiswahili is also celebrated during its annual global commemoration.

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The World Kiswahili Language Day (7 July), festivities in Zanzibar in 2025 were led by Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, the Second Vice-President of Zanzibar, who declared that Kiswahili is “increasingly gaining international prominence in social, economic and diplomatic spheres.”

He was joined by Nancy Mwaisaka, UNESCO’s National Professional Officer for Culture in Tanzania, who reflected on Kiswahili’s power as “a symbol of identity, a carrier of heritage and a shared hope for a better, more unified future.”

For many Tanzanians, these achievements are deeply personal. Kiswahili is not just the language spoken at home, but a bridge to other Africans, a way to communicate, collaborate and connect with neighbours.

Its journey from national lingua franca to global diplomatic tool reflects Tanzania’s own evolution: From post-independence nationhood to a cultural architect of Pan‑African unity. But the road ahead is not without hurdles.

Despite growing recognition, Kiswahili’s integration into technical diplomacy, treaty-making and formal legal systems remains patchy.

Experts point out that having interpreters at meetings is a good start but real power lies in being able to negotiate, legislate and adjudicate in Kiswahili.

As Ambassador Mwadini said at UNESCO, Tanzania must persist: “We will continue to cooperate, support Kiswahili teaching centres and build capacity.”

That commitment underscores the long-term vision: Kiswahili as not only Africa’s language of identity, but as its language of influence. Sixty-four years after Independence, Tanzania is not just celebrating its freedom.

Through Kiswahili, it is celebrating its place in a more united, African-led future one where its language carries the weight of diplomacy, its heritage and its ambition for the continent.