Somalia, 28, September 2025 – Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has warned that Arabic is under pressure in Somalia and across the Arab world from foreign languages which are slowly becoming dominant in public life.
“We witness a decline in efforts to develop the language ( Arabic) to meet the needs of modern times. This has opened the door for the growing dominance of foreign languages in education, administration, and official dealings,” Hamza said on Sunday.
The PM made the remarks at the launch of the Arabic Language Strengthening Program in Mogadishu, the first such initiative in recent years.
The event brought together Somali officials, academics and Arab League representatives to explore ways of promoting Arabic in schools, universities and government institutions.
Hamza described Arabic as central to Somalia’s cultural and religious identity but acknowledged the challenge of balancing it with Somali, the country’s national language.
“Arabic is not a foreign language in Somalia but part of our spiritual and cultural fabric,” he said, calling for greater efforts to modernize the language and prevent it from being sidelined.
The Prime Minister said his government would adopt recommendations from the program and integrate them into education and administrative policy.
He also praised the Arab League for its role in supporting Somalia, citing the work of its representative Abdullah Al-Otaibi.