The Moroccan government is aiming to strengthen ties with Moroccans abroad, and wants the Arabic language and Moroccan culture to be propagated more among Moroccans living abroad. According to Volkskrant, Rabat now wants to create stronger ties with emigrants by stressing their Arab identity. The Hague responded with concern We have difficulty getting Moroccan youth that have gone adrift to take part in the society… I’m not happy about Morocco exercising pressure in the opposite direction said Madeleine van Toorenburg, CDA MP. The Moroccan government has aims to double the number of emigrant children learning Arabic and becoming familiar with Moroccan culture. About 80% of Moroccans in the Netherlands speak one of the Berber languages; Arabic is just as much a second language as Dutch for many Moroccans in the country. Labour MP Khadija Arib, who is of Moroccan descent, argues that Moroccans in the Netherlands should focus on their lives here, so they can get ahead.
