Rabat, March 20 -- A new study, published in time for International Francophonie Day on March 20, has found that only 35 percent of Moroccans speak French.

Annually conducted by the French Language Observatory , the report assesses the progress of the French language and future prospects for young French speakers.

Despite the low percentage of Moroccans with French fluency, however, the country is North Africa's second highest French user. It ranks above Algeria (33 percent) and Mauritania (13 percent). Tunisia leads the dance with 52 percent.

The Francophone appeal

Despite a reputation that suffers from France's colonial history, the French language continues to appeal.

According to the report, most of the MENA region's French-speak...