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Madagascar President resigns, unclear rule in Antananarivo

Leadership in Madagascar is unclear as Madagascan President Marc Ravalomanana announced his resignation in favor of a military committee headed by Vice Admiral Hyppolite Ramaroson, only to have that resignation rejected by the Admiral, the military and opposition political groups. Admiral Ramaroson joined other military leaders in saying they would back opposition leader, former Antananarivo mayor and former DJ Andry Rajoelina. Mr Ravalomanana attempted to hand power over to the heads of the...

More prisoners escape in Madagascar

In a serious of escapes from prisons in the Indian Ocean island country of Madagascar, seven prisoners run away from prison Monday afternoon in Toamasina, a coastal port city 370 km northeast of the capital, while 11 others escaped from that of Betroka, a town 720 km south of the capital city. Security of the Toamasina prison was declared broken around 17:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Monday while the prisoners in Betroka run away at midnight on the same day, media here reported on Tuesday. The...

Daewoo leases African plantation

South Korean firm Daewoo has unveiled plans to plant corn on one million acres of land in Madagascar, to sharply cut its reliance on US imports.

13 missing from ship off coast of Madagascar; two rescued

Thirteen people are missing from a boat believed to have sunk off Madagascar's Sainte Marie island on Thursday. Several Chinese people were on board, as well as some from Madagascar. Two crewmembers are safely rescued. There appears to be one man from the Chinese mainland on board. Xinhua reports that there are also eight from Taiwan, and all are businessmen. In addition there are four crewmembers left, with two others rescued. The crew were all locals. The boat had left Sainte Marie to...

MADAGASCAR: New eco-deals protect unique forests

Madagascar has signed a series of environment agreements to protect unique forests and support local communities as part of a commitment by the government to ramp up environmental protection on the Indian Ocean island. In its largest ever debt-for-nature swap, Madagascar signed a deal with France this month, in which US$20 million of debt owed to the former colonial power was put into a conservation fund, the Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity (FPAB). "Thanks to...

MADAGASCAR: Despite odds, country saves more trees

Despite a demand for more agricultural land, poverty-stricken Madagascar has managed to reduce deforestation by almost half, environment groups say. Malagasy people cut down the forests to cultivate land, their main source income. The enormous forests on the world's fourth largest island are home to some of the planet's rarest species, including lemurs, chameleons and baobab trees, but deforestation has put great pressure on its diverse environment. Conservation International (CI),...

MADAGASCAR: Rift Valley Fever hits island

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has infected more than 400 people in Madagascar, with at least 17 fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH). "An outbreak has been confirmed; it will be a big challenge to contain," Nestor Ndayimirije, Inter-Country Epidemiologist at the UN World Health Organisation's (WHO) Eastern and Southern Africa office, told IRIN. The MoH said 59 cases had been positively identified by the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar, part of a global network devoted to...

World Bank Board Approves US$40 Million Additional Financing for the Integrated Growth Poles Project in Madagascar

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved today an additional financing in an amount of US$40 million to the Republic of Madagascar for the Integrated Growth Poles Project.   The proposed additional financing would support the project to complete originally-planned activities that have remained un-funded to date. In particular, it would focus on three key areas:   (i) strengthening the business environment especially for the development of Micro, Small and Medium...

MADAGASCAR: Cash shortage hits cyclone food aid delivery

A funding shortfall has prevented vital food aid deliveries to tens of thousands of Malagasy people hit by this year's deadly cyclones, leaving many vulnerable to other natural disasters, said the World Food Programme's (WFP) country representative. At least 106 people died when the Indian Ocean island was hit by cyclones Fame and Ivan earlier this year. The powerful winds, heavy rains and flooding affected over 330,000 people, of whom 190,000 lost their homes. Krystyna Bednarska, WFP's...

International humanitarian community seeks $30 million for 239,000 peole affected by cyclones in Madagascar

The international humanitarian community is seeking more than $30 million to support the Government of Madagascar in providing relief to 239,000 people who lost their homes, crops and other belongings in two tropical cyclones in less than a month. Cyclone Fame struck the island on 27 January 2008, followed by category 4 Cyclone Ivan on 17 February 2008. They intersected, although at different times, in the central Antananarivo plain, bringing heavy rainfall to most parts of the island, in...