AGOA: Andry Rajoelina bets on the American sensibility

AGOA, the growth opportunity offered by the United States’ government to African countries would allegedly be “a bilateral agreement “, original interpretation, isn’t it? So do away with the eligibility criteria concerning the respect of democracy and good governance. According to Andry Rajoelina, it is Madagascar that is in need of the international community’s support and not the transition regime. “The agoa must not serve a political blackmail, because we tried all solutions “, pleaded Andry Rajoelina. As he has just announced his decision to organize unilateral elections and the definitive failure of the process meant to be imposed to “the Malagasy people”, it is Andry Rajoelina’s turn to put pressure on the American authorities. He estimated that Madagascar has always been able to satisfy the American orders in the setting of the AGOA. “If they love Madagascar as well as working the Malagasy people, the United States ought to take a favorable decision for the Malagasy people”. “It is a punishment against the Malagasy people craving for change “, denounced the president of the HAT concerning the likely suspension of Madagascar. The country’s enterprises will no more enjoy custom taxes exoneration, which will obviously rule them out of the competition. The loss of the orders is, at best, forcibly going to generate a massive layoff, at worst, lead enterprises operating on the American market to shut their doors. Andry Rajoelina’s political statements are targeting the American administration’s sentimental layer. Even though chances to tilt are quite scarce, he bet all his cash on the guilt feelings, for the sake of the “right to protect the vulnerable populations” which definitely overlooks democratic principles and eligibility criteria. “Who could take advantage of such a large scale loss of jobs “, innocently wondered Andry Rajoelina. The president of the HAT does apparently not feel any culpability for putting so many honest workers in the balance to serve his lust for power. Political pressure: As well as the suspension of international financial supports, the eligibility to the AGOA was a pressure on the dictatorial authorities’ shoulders and on the Malagasy political mobilities to find a consensus for the transition’s management. At the time of the meeting of Maputo III, December 14th has even been proposed for the institutions’ erection in order not to lose the eligibility to the AGOA. It was the main common concern for the Ravalomanana, Zafy and Ratsiraka mobilities. The loss of the American market has a significant political stake since the concerned enterprises are susceptible to shut doors and to lay their staff off. More than 150 000 jobs are directly threatened. On the opposite side, the whole Rajoelina mobility denounces the American pressure. The most radical voices are encouraging the president of the HAT to keep holding on, and to keep ruling the country in a one sided way. The social and economic impact of the AGOA is being minimized. “It is a market which only benefits the Americans, and only 100 000 Malagasy paid to the GUARANTEED MINIMUM WAGE are concerned “. For the former parliamentarian Eugène Voninahitsy, ” the AGOA has to be dropped, so that it is turned into a mean to pressure leaders”. Andry Rajoelina had yet party justified his involvement into the Maputo II and Addis Ababa meetings, by the risk to have thousands more jobless compatriots on his back. In the end, he apparently proves ready to sacrifice them too.