An English-language news channel will be launched in Morocco, where the public channel Al Aoula within the National Radio and Television Company (SNRT) is working on the project, revealed Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, Minister of Youth, culture and communication. During a parliamentary session, the official reacted regarding the language policy in the country , indicating that this decision follows a growing interest in English as an international language. In this context, Moroccan public channels are indeed called upon to adopt English and Spanish, in addition to French as a foreign language.
The channel's project includes coverage of national and international events taking place in Morocco and beyond. In this regard, Minister Bensaïd underlined that the introduction of the dissemination of information in Spanish in Morocco, almost 34 years ago, had contributed significantly to the country's appeal to Spanish-speaking tourists. By extending this practice to English-speakers, the country should experience additional growing interest from a wider international audience, he said.
The announcement comes as last year a study commissioned by the British Council found that 40% of young people in Morocco considered English the most important foreign language to learn, compared to only 10% for French.
