SADC refuses to recognize Madagascar’s new leader
Andry Rajoelina
Madagascar, an island nation off the south-eastern coast of Africa, enters a political uncertainty after the Southern African Development Community nations, SADC, refused to recognize Madagascar’s new leader Andry Rajoelina.
The nation’s military forcibly ousted the democratically elected president Marc Ravalomanana and transferred power to his rival, the opposition leader Andry Rajoelina after several weeks of unrest.
The deposed president Marc Ravalomanana, 59, came to power in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006 for a second term with 54.79% of the votes.
Mr Rajoelina, 34, is the former mayor of Antananarivo and owns Viva radio and television networks which the deposed government closed recently.
Rajoelina declared himself the president on Tuesday and moved into the presidential palace in Antananarivo which the army stormed earlier in the week. He immediately made a string of decisions in his first cabinet meeting, including the suspension of the parliament and the canceling of at least one international contract signed by the previous president.
Member nations of SADC called for restoration of the constitution in Madagascar and urged international community not to recognize the new leader.
Several other countries from the international community are already expressing deep reservations by suspending direct aid and cooperation with the island nation. The U.S. declared the transfer of power to the new president as ‘undemocratic’. State Department spokesman said the U.S. is reviewing its relations with the island nation which received close to $90 million in aid from the U.S. last year.
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