Officers from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Force have received certificates after passing tests in the French language.

The officers that included communication officers from ministries, departments and government agencies got certificates and diplomas at various levels recognised by the French ministry of education on Monday, March 20.

The graduates were presented the certifications and diplomas after passing the DELF DALF international certifications sponsored by the French defence mission. The awards ceremony was held on the day the French Embassy in Uganda marked the Francophonie Day in Uganda.

The function took place at the ambassador’s residence in Nakasero, Kampala.

The French ambassador to Uganda, Xavier Sticker, highlighted the need for the army and Police to communicate in French in many of the Francophone countries.

“Learning French is a good choice even where English is spoken. Many French-speaking people live in Africa,” Sticker said.

The ambassador said the UN peacekeepers were deployed mainly in the French-speaking countries such as Mali and DRC.

“When you (military) speak French in countries where French is widely spoken, the military can get easy access to the population, you ease tension, you can collect operational intelligence from the streets, the markets,” Sticker said.

He added that French has become the third official language of the East African Community after English and Swahili.

Sticker noted that with the African Continental Free Trade, opportunities are opening further for Ugandans who can speak French.

He mentioned that the DRC that neigbours Uganda was the second biggest country that speaks French after France.

“No language can claim to embody universalism on its own because we live in a plural world. We can’t learn all the languages but we can choose a few, French is beneficial,” Sticker explained.

Victor Petit, the deputy director at Alliance Française Kampala, said it was estimated that by 2060, the majority of French speakers will be living in Africa.

He said the UN command language was French.

“From a military point of view, some of you may need to communicate and act in French in the DRC in the context of joint military operations,” Petit said.

He explained that the introduction of DELF DALF assessment and certification has been a success. This assessment is integrated with the communicative competence of the European framework of reference on which all European language certifications must be aligned.

Petit mentioned several African countries that speak use French as their main language such as Algeria, Egypt, Rwanda and Burundi. In that respect Ugandans enhancing their language in French can communicate better with citizens in Francophone countries.

“Linguistic diversity and respect between languages is very important,” Petit remarked.

Capt. Samuel Ejik, the co-ordinator of French language at the Uganda Junior Staff College in Jinja, speaking on behalf of the graduates, expressed satisfaction at receiving the awards.

He impressed the audience with his spoken French.

“This is because of the cooperation between the UPDF and France. It is a great honour to receive the certificates from the French Ambassador to Uganda,” Ejik said.

“We appreciate the different French teachers from Alliance Française and those in Jinja who taught us,” Ejik added.

Lt. Col. Yann Chollet, the defence attaché at the Embassy of France in Uganda, said the learning of French language will help UPDF officers involved in specific operations.

He indicated that the French language will boost regional integration efforts.

“Learning French will help Uganda improve cooperation with French-speaking nations, we shall continue with the French teaching as part of the military cooperation between Uganda and France,” Chollet said.