Emmanuel Macron spoke for the first time on Saturday by telephone with Michaël Randrianirina, president of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar. He “offered France’s support” in the transition process initiated on the Indian Ocean island after the October coup, according to the Élysée.
“The two presidents recalled the importance of the bilateral relationship”, and Emmanuel Macron “welcomed the announcement of a national consultation process, a series of reforms, in particular to fight corruption, and the organization of elections within a reasonable time frame”.
“He encouraged the President of the Refoundation to involve representatives of youth and civil society in these various processes and offered the support of France to support them, in conjunction with its international partners,” specifies the Élysée in a press release.
Emmanuel Macron “confirmed” to the Malagasy leader that “France wished to accompany and support the ongoing transition, in accordance with the aspirations expressed by the Malagasy people, in particular the youth”. He “announced” the deployment of “new funding” to “fight against food insecurity in the south of the country, provide doctors in Antananarivo and support urban development projects in the capital”.
“Affected budgetary aid”
“He also announced the payment of budgetary aid allocated, in particular, to food security in the country,” adds the Élysée. The President of the Republic had already said last week that France was ready to “support the transition in a spirit of openness”.
Colonel Michaël Randrianirina was inaugurated president of Madagascar on October 17, a few days after the takeover by his military unit which pushed Andry Rajoelina to flee.
The particularly poor island in the Indian Ocean has been shaken since September 25 by a protest movement, which the military unit joined. The new president thanked the young people of the Gen Z movement for being at the forefront of the protests and said the army had intervened at the request of the High Court to “avoid anarchy and disorder”.
The coup reignited resentment against former colonial power France. The exfiltration by Paris of ex-president Andry Rajoelina outraged many Malagasy people.