Folly Bah Thibault

Folly Bah Thibault is a journalist and Principal Presenter for Al Jazeera English, based in Doha, Qatar.

She joined the network in 2010, having previously worked at the French news channel, France24 in Paris and Voice of America in Washington D.C.  Folly has covered some of the world’s biggest news stories including the 2004 tsunami, which devastated the southern regions of Asia, and the historic campaign and election of Barack Obama as president of the United States in 2008. She has also covered numerous stories that have dealt with humanitarian and immigrant issues from Africa to South America and beyond.

 As one of the Senior Anchors, Folly has been part of Al Jazeera’s stated goal of giving ‘voice to the voiceless’, and setting the international news agenda. In 2010, when the Arab world began a series of protests which became known as the ‘Arab Spring’, Folly and her colleagues were there to cover every angle of the story.  From the streets of Tunisia, which sparked the revolution, to Cairo’s Tahrir square, and to the battlefields of Libya, Yemen, and of course the continuing crisis in Syria. Folly has also hosted some of Al Jazeera’s most important specials and award-winning programmes, including the first-ever debate of candidates to the post of UN Secretary General in July 2016 and the Nobel Peace Prize Interview in Oslo in December 2016 

She has interviewed some of the world’s top leaders, newsmakers, and other influential people for Talk To Al Jazeera. These include, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta, the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

 Her ability to break down complex news stories and present them to the viewers in a smart and unbiased way have garnered her praise and recognition. Her ability to break down complex news stories and present them to the viewers in a smart and unbiased way have garnered her praise and recognition. As such, she has moderated panel discussions and high level summits for organisations like the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, and the Brookings Centre.

Folly Bah Thibault is also the founder and president of the Foundation “Elle Ira A l’Ecole” which promotes the education of girls in Guinea so they can later access a profession that will bring them freedom and dignity.

She was born in Conakry in 1978 where she spent the early years of her childhood, until her family moved to Nairobi, Kenya in 1987. She earned a Baccalaureate in French literature with honours, before heading to the United States to attend Howard University and the American University in Washington, D.C.; picking up a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast journalism and a Master’s degree in International Communication along the way. She speaks four languages, including French and Swahili.   

Folly is married and has three sons.