In October, Chinese companies were once again the target of Madagascar’s environmental groups for their role in illegal rosewood exploitation. Environmental umbrella group Alliance Voahary Gasy pointed ...
Vol 53 No 18 |
- MADAGASCAR
A reckless dash to exploit natural resources threatens the environment and wildlife
After the military coup of March 2009, the plunder of Madagascar’s vast resources went into overdrive, under high-level political protection. It shows no sign of abating and concern...
Vol 53 No 18 |
- MADAGASCAR
New opportunities for plunder are opening up in minerals, oil and gas as shadowy businesses discover fresh resources. A few big companies have joined the voluntary Extractive Industries...
Vol 53 No 17 |
- MADAGASCAR
On 17 August, the Southern African Development Community failed in its
third attempt to reconcile feuding Presidents Marc Ravalomanana
and Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina overthrew Ravalomanana in March
2009 and is now...
The confusion is far from over. The United Nations proposes that Madagascar hold presidential and parliamentary elections in May or June 2013 but Andry Rajoelina is holding out. The army installed him as national leader after its coup in March 2009 threw out his elected predecessor, Marc Ravalomanana. He now heads the Haute Autorité de la Transition (HAT) that was installed in November 2011, following a ‘road map’ signed the previous month by most political leaders (AC Vol 53 No 5, Who's the democrat now?).
There is logic behind the timetable suggested by the UN experts who, chaired by Akinyemi Adegbola, visited the island in April-May. Time is needed to establish a credible...
Vol 53 No 14 |
- MADAGASCAR
• Andry Rajoelina, 38, Chairman of the Haute autorité de la transition (HAT), is a former Mayor of Antananarivo and leads the Tanora MalaGasy Vonona (TGV) party.
Vol 53 No 14 |
- MADAGASCAR
In public, diplomats in Antananarivo talk up the chances of a settlement of the political crisis. In private, though, they confess to doubting the value of the sanctions...
South Africa seeks a global role and is standing up for democracy – in Madagascar, anyway.
Plans by two Thai companies – PTT Asia Pacific Mining and Italian-Thai Development Company (Italthai) – to develop rich coal deposits at Sakoa have stalled amid...
A series of scandals about illegal timber exports increases pressure on the government to seek international protection for the country’s forests
Proof continues to mount about the role of Chinese business interests in the illegal trade of rosewood from Madagascar. Rosewood is harvested from protected areas in Madagascar and...