Following the publication, on December 17, 2024, of the official results of the General Population and Housing Census (RGPH) by the High Commission for Planning (HCP), indicating that 24.8% of Moroccans speak Amazigh , the Moroccan Association for Research and Cultural Exchange (AMREC) expresses its skepticism regarding the methodology and reliability of this data.
AMREC reacted with skepticism to the results of the RGPH 2024, which establish that 24.8% of the Moroccan population speaks Amazigh, with a distribution of 19.9% in urban areas and 33.3% in rural areas. The association contests the methodology adopted by the HCP for data collection, believing that these figures do not faithfully reflect the linguistic reality of the Kingdom. She also criticizes the exclusion of civil society and Amazigh experts in the preparation of this census, which, according to her, compromised the credibility of the results.
In a press release published this Friday, December 20, AMREC underlines that the Amazigh language, recognized as an official language by the Constitution, was not sufficiently taken into account in the development of the questionnaire relating to this census. This questionnaire, deplores the association, did not adequately integrate the specificities of Moroccan multilingualism, just as activists, researchers and specialized institutions were not involved in the process of its development. The association considers that this lack of consultation has prevented the adoption of a rigorous and multidimensional methodology, capable of providing usable data for a linguistic and cultural public policy in line with the constitutional framework.
AMREC also believes that the census was limited to a simple collection of quantitative data, without taking into account the sociocultural dynamics which influence the distribution of languages spoken in Morocco. This approach would have led to a systematic underestimation of the number of Amazigh speakers, particularly in urban areas, where many are classified as Arabic speakers due to the preponderance of Darija in daily interactions. The association also criticizes the HCP for confusing classical Arabic and Darija, which distorts data on the real linguistic practices of Moroccans.
AMREC also denounces a classification that it considers ethnic rather than demographic, where Amazigh speakers are distributed according to their region of origin (Rif, Atlas, Souss, etc.), while Darija is considered a homogeneous language. , without regional distinction. This disparity in treatment contributes, according to her, to minimizing the importance of Amazigh in the national linguistic landscape.
Finally, the association regrets that the data collected does not make it possible to develop a public policy in favor of multilingualism and cultural diversity, two fundamental pillars for building a democratic and inclusive Morocco. For AMREC, it is urgent to rethink the census methodology in order to promote the linguistic and cultural wealth of the Kingdom and to respect the constitutional provisions in this area.
