Senegalese singer-songwriter Baaba Maal was named Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification on Monday (April 17, 2023).
He previously served as a land ambassador for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification along with musicians Inna Modja and Ricky Kej.
Maal has long been committed to climate change and refugee issues. Since 2003 she has been involved in various development challenges in Africa and works with various organizations of the United Nations family.
His NANN-K Trust recently opened a solar-powered irrigation project in Senegal to combat desertification, one of the main reasons people are leaving the country on dangerous migratory routes.
The project will train people to start similar programs in their communities. Maal believes in putting power in the hands of young people and women.
Also, read; South Africa is the world’s most internet-addicted country
“We are tackling climate change impact, but also fighting desertification on the African continent, especially in my region where we are just not far away from the desert and we see it coming to us. And it had an impact because people who don’t get more opportunities to do agriculture, fishing and many more will have to run away from their places, go to the big cities where nothing is planned for them there, and then later on, some of the young ones will just take the boats to go to Spain or some of these places or just try to cross the desert and it’s really dangerous. We did lose a lot of lives,” Maal told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
Maal grew up in the small town of Podor in north Senegal, which is centered on a fishing community.
Born into a sect of fishermen, Maal was destined to pursue that career, but he befriended storyteller and musician Mansour Sik and spent his life acting, traveling and raising awareness of the issues in his home country.
The veteran musician released his first album ‘Being’ in seven years on March 31 and will headline London’s Barbican on May 30 for the first time in 20 years.
