Future of French language ‘to be decided in Brussels’

Officials at the International Francophony Organisaiton (OIF) have warned of ‘catastrophic’ use of French in EU institutions, as the language's position in Brussels becomes ever more fragile, a conference heard on 31 March 2011.

Roger Dehaybe from the OIF - an international organisation of mostly French-speaking countries - said the idea that the French language had maintained its global status thanks to steady population growth in Africa was misleading.
Instead, he underscored the ‘catastrophic’ state of French language use within the EU institutions.

‘The future of French will be decided in Brussels,’ warned Dehaybe, because the EU is the only political and economic power in the world where French still matters.

• Primary Source

Website: International Organisation of Francophony / Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie http://www.francophonie.org/English.html

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