Andry Rajoelina's regime swept away in three weeks
Less than three weeks after the first demonstrations by Malagasy Generation Z, the President of the Republic Andry Rajoelina was dismissed, wed-october, after fleeing the country, exfiltrated by France via Sainte-Marie Island and Reunion Island. Michaël Randrianirina, the colonel at the head of the unit that overthrew the outgoing president, was officially invested in the functions of “president of the refoundation of Madagascar” on October 17 by the High Constitutional Court. He installed his government on October 29 by placing a civilian at its head, Herintsalama Andriamasy Rajaonarivelo. The latter leads a team of 28 ministers who have received a clear roadmap : obtain tangible results and demonstrate their effectiveness in 60 days. The political fever has passed, Malagasy people in urban areas have returned to their daily reality, caused by water and electricity cuts.
The powerful Mamy Ravatomanga imprisoned in Mauritius
Considered very close to former president Rajoelina, billionaire Mamy Ravatomanga is accused by the courts of Mauritius, where he took refuge, money laundering and criminal conspiracy. He is suspected of having illegally transferred tens of millions of euros from Madagascar to Mauritius. The district court of Port-Louis pronounced his incarceration, November 6th, but he was able to claim heart problems to be admitted to the hospital, under police surveillance. Sweet Ravatomanga, who has built a veritable empire in Madagascar over the last decade, had arrived in the sister island on October 12, aboard a private jet of your airline, on board which was also Christian Ntsay, the last Prime Minister of Andry Rajoelina.
Madagascar withdraws from SADC presidency
The presidency of the refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar announced on November 1 that the Big Island was renouncing the presidency of the SADC (Southern African Development Community), rotating function which was transferred to him last August. The new power prefers to concentrate its efforts on internal priorities, while affirming its commitment within the SADC.
The tourism sector is struggling
The political crisis occurred at the start of the Malagasy tourist season, to the great misfortune of a sector which expects a shortfall of around a hundred million dollars. According to the Madagascar Tourism Confederation, the violence that made international headlines at the end of September and beginning of October caused up to 80% of fourth quarter reservations to be canceled. The previous government was banking on record attendance in 2025, with 430,000 foreign tourist arrivals. At the end of the first nine months of the year, 248,000 visitors were counted.
The price of looting : almost 40 million euros
In the early days of political protest, end of September, the main Malagasy cities were the prey of more or less spontaneous looting. The new Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced a first estimate of the damage caused, end of October : more than 200 billion ariary or nearly 40 million euros. Most of the losses were recorded in the Antananarivo agglomeration..
The trade deficit is widening
According to data produced at the beginning of November by the Central Bank of Madagascar, the country's trade deficit increased from 1,278 billion dollars at the end of the 1st quarter to 1,864 billion at the end of the 3rd quarter. Export revenues fell by 10%, to 1,$772 billion in the first nine months of the year, due to the drop in vanilla prices, cloves and nickel. Vice versa, imports increased by 7%, at 3, $636 billion.
