Madagascar-South Africa visit may symbolise diplomatic hopes

Madagascar’s head of state Michael Randrianirina has arrived in South Africa for conversations with the latter state’s president Cyril Ramaphosa. The two are expected to discuss Malagasy-South African relations, as well as the situation in Madagascar and perhaps the steps the island-republic is taking towards its first national elections since the removal from power of previous president Andriy Rajoelina…

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Military unit takes power in Madagascar

A unit of the Malagasy army has claimed it has ‘taken power’ in Madagascar. The CAPSAT unit, which on Saturday (11 October 2025) announced it was joining protests against the Malagasy government and president Andry Rajoelina, saying it would not ‘follow illegal orders’ to ‘shoot our brothers and sisters’ (the demonstrators) made the announcement today. CAPSAT (Corps d’administration des…

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King’s Posthumous Return Postive – But Madagascar Needs More Than Bones

The French government has returned three skulls – one believed to be of a Malagasy king decapitated by French troops – to Madagascar in the latest step towards a rapprochement between the two states. The skulls were officially handed over to Malagasy government representatives in a ceremony at the French Culture Ministry in Paris, and are scheduled be carried…

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The World Must Listen: the mental and physical impacts of climate catastrophe on Madagascar

Two reports in recent days have addressed the severity of climate catastrophe’s impact on Malagasy men, women and children. Amnesty International has issued an extremely critical report regarding the treatment of more than 90,000 Antandroy men, women and children who have been forced to flee the Androy region in Southern Madagascar since 2017. The region has been stricken by…

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Scattered Islands Talks Begin

Malagasy representatives are today (Monday 30 June 2025) in Paris to meet French representatives, and begin talks regarding the status of the Scattered Islands (Iles Eparses). The five islets surround Madagascar, and were a part of the country during the French colonial period, 1897-1960. But they were broken away in advance of Malagasy independence. They are a total of…

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Independence Day: history and what comes after

Today marks the start of the 66th year of the modern state of Madagascar. Malagasy people gained their full independence from France, officially, on 26 June 1960. Celebrations usually begin the night before, with celebrations including harendrina and tsipoapoaka (paper lanterns and firecrackers), to banish the ‘darkness of the past’ and welcome in (and commemorate the coming of) the ‘light…

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Steps towards the future – but more must be done

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Malagasy counterpart Andry Nirina Rajoelina have agreed and announced a series of agreements on education, agriculture and energy, as well as one promising a joint study of a massacre in which some believe 200,000 Malagasy people were killed by French soldiers and politicians. We welcome the development initiatives – and hope the ‘commission…

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