Vice Admiral Didier Ratsiraka

Foreign aid is declining as donors withhold the release of funds in an effort to nudge Rajoelina towards a compromise with his deposed predecessor President Marc Ravalomanana and the latter’s nominal allies the veteran ex-Presidents Albert Zafy and Didier Ratsiraka...

Rajoelina is pressuring his rivals including former Presidents Marc Ravalomanana Albert Zafy and Didier Ratsiraka into accepting the presidential elections that the regime plans for mid-year...

Madagascar’s former Presidents Marc Ravalomanana (2002-2009) Didier Ratsiraka (aka the Red Admiral 1975-1993 and 1997-2002) and Albert Zafy (1993-2006) denounced Rajeolina’s announcements as electioneering ahead of the referendum which they are boycotting...

Former Presidents Albert Zafy Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana who have now formed a common front the Madagasikara alliance have rejected Rajoelina’s unilateral strategy...

There are signs that his persistent refusal to implement the political settlement negotiated in Maputo and Addis Ababa last year with his rivals former presidents Marc Ravalomanana Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy is beginning to change the diplomatic weather...

Beijing despatched Xu to Madagascar as a full ambassador in 2001 where she arrived in time to witness the drawn-out stand-off between the incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana that followed the country's December 2001 presidential election as well as the violence that accompanied it...

Before the new regime can be established however the accord must be signed by the current protagonists - ousted President Marc Ravalomanana and his usurper 34-year-old Andry Rajoelina - and former Presidents Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy...

Indirect talks brokered by the African Union and two former presidents Albert Zafy and Didier Ratsiraka have made no progress...

Conspiracy theorists suggest that France backed the coup supporting Rajoelina as a stalking-horse for Roland Ratsiraka nephew of the pro-French exiled former President Didier Ratsiraka...

Wade was keeping a close eye on events in Madagascar where in 2002 the Mayor of the capital Marc Ravalomanana won power from President Didier Ratsiraka only to be himself replaced this year by his successor as Mayor of Antananarivo Andry Rajoelina (AC Vol 50 No 7)...

This resembles the fierce rivalry between Ravalomanana and his then opponent President Didier Ratsiraka who refused to accept his rival’s election victory seven years ago...