Mali – MOSAEC

Amadou Bagayoko, Half of Malian Duo Who Went Global, Dies at 70

As Amadou & Mariam, he and his wife were improbable pop stars on two counts. Their style was venturesome and eclectic, and they were blind virtuosos.

By Alex Traub

Bamako (Mali) Deaths (Obituaries) Diabate, Toumani (1965-2024) Mali Music Musical Instruments Symmetric Orchestra

Toumani Diabaté, Malian Master of the Kora, Is Dead at 58

He believed that music could transcend national borders set by colonialism and restore ancient ties, even as it embraced the changes of a globalizing society.

By Giovanni Russonello

Burkina Faso Coups D'Etat and Attempted Coups D'Etat Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) Embargoes and Sanctions Faye, Bassirou Diomaye International Relations Mali Niger Nigeria West Africa

Three West African Countries Exit Regional ECOWAS Bloc

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are withdrawing from a 49-year-old regional alliance that has allowed goods and nearly 400 million people to travel freely across a tightly connected region.

By Elian Peltier

Bamako (Mali) France French Language Le Pen, Marine Macron, Emmanuel (1977- ) Mali Music Nakamura, Aya National Rally (France) Olympics (2024) Race and Ethnicity

Aya Nakamura, French-Malian Singer, Is Caught in Olympic Storm

Aya Nakamura’s music is one of France’s top cultural exports. But reports that she might perform at the Paris Games have prompted fierce debates over identity and language.

By Roger Cohen and Aurelien Breeden