West Africa Archive

An attack in Mali’s capital on Sept. 17 left more than 70 people dead, marking a landmark moment in Mali’s longstanding battle with jihadism.

This week’s attack stands out because it took place not in northern Mali, where violence had long since spread, but in the capital.

It makes sense that a continent that is home to 54 countries and 1.2 billion people would also house many contradictory developments. Africa features several of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a burgeoning middle class. But much of the continent remains mired in debt, burdened by conflict and beset by elites clinging to power.