Release Date: 2009-11-05

Madagascar:Regional Path to Peace

Africa Policy Brief No.1, 5 November 2009

Executive Summary

The ouster of President Marc Ravalomanana in the Indian Ocean Island of Madagascar on 17 March 2009 by the military-backed civilian opposition leader, Andry Rajoelina, is the country’s worst crisis in recent times which has claimed over 100 lives.  The crisis, a new round in Madagascar’s recurrent elite power tussles, has derailed democracy and spawned a severe humanitarian and environmental crisis. A spirited regional diplomatic campaign to counter this latest setback to Africa’s democracy posed by military-backed extra-legal takeover of power civilians yielded the October 2009 Maputo Accord creating a power sharing government to restore peace, undertake political reform and organize elections in 2010. Africa and its international partners should maintain pressure on the respective parties to the Madagascan conflict to fully implement and honour the unity government deal as the best way out o f the crisis and of returning Madagascar to democracy. 

The coup that swept Rajoelina to power in Madagascar also thrust to the fore the new spectre of military-engineered unconstitutional regime changes by civilian leaders exemplified by Mauritania and Guinea Bissau. While the military in Madagascar handed over power to a preferred civilian leader, it remained the real power behind the throne.

Although the coup received widespread condemnation from regional and international actors, it still posed a serious challenge to the African Union’s policy outlawing unconstitutional change of government. But supported by aid freeze and sanctions on coup-makers in Madagascar, regional diplomatic efforts paid off, brokering a power-sharing accord similar to Kenya’s and Zimbabwe’s post-election unity governments to effect reforms to eventually return Madagascar to democracy.

Restoring peace and democracy to Madagascar requires action by African players and the international community at various levels:

¨ Implementation of the power-sharing government to prepare for elections and peaceful return to democracy: The African Union and SADC should ensure the speedy implementation of the Maputo Accord in a manner that does not appear to reward the coup-makers by according them legitimacy.Diplomatic compromises that reward extra-legal seizures of power will only encourage similar moves across the continent. Where necessary, Africa and the international community, including the United States,the European Union and G20 member countries should maintain diplomatic pressure, including aid freeze and sanctions to leverage the implementation of an inclusive power-sharing government to restore peace, law and order. There is also need to support efforts by the transitional government towards national reconciliation to heal the wounds created by the crisis.

¨ Embark on comprehensive reforms: Parties tot he Maputo Accord, including the International Contact Group, the UN and African players should monitor and evaluating the implementation of political reforms involving all stakeholders ahead of the next elections in 2010. SADC and the African Union, with the support of international partners, should initiate reforms of Madagascar’s security sector aimed at depoliticizing, inculcating professionalism and eradicating divisions within the military to reduce the future risk of coups.

¨ Establish a comprehensive framework for regulating the exploitation of resources: The African Union should fast-track the establishment of policies regulating the exploitation of African resources to prevent negative economic and political impacts of the ‘new scramble’ for African resources, including land contracts.On their part, foreign investors in mining, land and energy resources from both developed and developing counties such as South Korea should encourage potential partners to seek national consensus and establish legal frameworks on resources to reduce the risk of resource-driven political crisis.

¨ Provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the crisis:  Developed countries and donors should continue to provide humanitarian assistant to those affected by the 2009 Madagascar crisis or victims of destructive cyclones, droughts and famines. Humanitarian assistance should also seek to address the negative impact of the crisis on the environment, especially Madagascar’s special flora and fauna in protected areas.

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