Guinea expands use of national languages in Parliament

The Guinean legal framework is expanding the use of national languages within the Parliament. Under the Constitution of September 26, 2025, national languages are recognized alongside French as official languages of the Republic of Guinea, though French remains the primary working language.

Article 79 of the organic law regarding the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly establishes specific conditions for this usage. Members of Parliament who cannot read or write French are permitted to speak in a national language, provided they inform the session president in advance. To support this, the law mandates the implementation of a simultaneous translation system to ensure all parliamentarians can follow debates and communicate on equal terms.

Furthermore, the State is tasked with promoting the teaching of national languages and ensuring that laws and official acts are translated into these languages.