International mediation: France and the United States are sending very special envoys

The United States and France are intending to play their whole political sway during the ICG meeting in the Malagasy capital city. Philip Carter, the American Under Secretary of State, formerly in charge of the United States’ embassy in Madagascar, will be participating to the international mediators’ meeting about the Malagasy crisis. 

In the same way, France sent Alain Joyandet to the meeting of October 6th, Secretary of state in charge of Cooperation and of the French speaking countries’ organization.  

The other permanent country members of the United Nations’ Security Council, namely Russia, the United Kingdom and China will also be represented during the ICG’s meeting. The usual figures involved for months so far in the resolution of the Malagasy crisis, will be completing the “great” nations’ special envoys. 

Once again, the SADC will be represented in Antananarivo, still by its main mediator, Joaquim Chissano, among the main fathers of the Maputo agreements. The presence of the African Commission’s president, Jean Ping, as well as that of the African Union’s Peace and Security Commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra, has also been announced. 

Needless to say that this incoming mediators’ meeting could hardly have more high profile reasons to be called the last chance meeting.  It is no less than the third International Contact Group’s meeting since its inception. The second meeting was held in July in Addis-Ababa but it has been boycotted by the Andry Rajoelina team.  

October 6th’s meeting in Antananarivo will essentially concern the implementation of the agreements and the Transition’s charter signed in Maputo. The four mobilities which signed the agreements (Andry Rajoelina, Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy) will be represented at the time of the different consultations. The civil society will be consulted all the way.  

At present, the mobility Andry Rajoelina is, somewhat, a wee bit overstretched. The political groupings supportive of the young putschist are divided on the attitude to adopt in face of the mediators’ meeting. Some are clinging to the status quo, namely keeping Andry Rajoelina and Monja Roindefo on top of the Transition, while others are more inclined to a coalition with the other mobilities, as stipulated in the Maputo agreements. These are commanding a “neutral”, “peaceful”, “inclusive”, and “consensual” Transition, for the time being, nearly a couple of months after the signatures in the Mozambican capital city, still a very far away outcome.