11 young Malagasy people have successfully completed their six-week leadership training in different US universities. They are now back in Madagascar, more committed than ever. Here is what they learned last summer.

Sophie Raharinoely - Leadership in Public Management, Bridgewater State University

I have learned a new approach to Leadership in Law enforcement: being a Leader is beyond the command, it is more a behavior. I have also developed communication skills and enlarged my network. The Professional Development Experience allowed me to build a professional relationship with the first black woman Commissioner in Philadelphia, Danielle Outlaw, and I will share my skills with the Police Leadership at the National Police Academy upon my return. Furthermore, I will also work with American Organizations to promote young female teenagers to become Policewomen.

Mirado Fitiavana Rakotoharimalala - Leadership in Public Management, Arizona State University

Through the Fellowship, I got a big picture of how the Federal system works, which is opposite to what we have in Madagascar. I also learned how US Citizens are devoted to community services.  Since my track at Phoenix ASU was more political-oriented, the experience has helped me prepare for the 2023 national board soccer election. This upcoming election is just a step as my main goal is to get a high-responsibility public position within the industry. This approach is the best way to improve national sports governance and community development, which is one the most underestimated in the country.

Natoa Razakasoavina - Leadership in Business, Clark Atlanta University

As my brother fellow from Lesotho said during our closing ceremony in Atlanta: “We came here to know American people but, in the end, we come back home knowing more about ourselves”. Due to the Mandela Washington Fellowship, my vision for life and business has never been so clear. I know what my strengths are and how to maximize them and I am more committed to my mission which is to improve the quality of life in Malagasy cities.

Fidy Manantsoa Randrianarivelo - Leadership in Civic Engagement, University of Delaware 

YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship is first and foremost a personal development opportunity.  Personally, the fellowship has given me more confidence and pragmatism in what I do.  The opportunity to work closely with Americans has given me a different way of thinking and acting. Through YALI MWF, I have made many professional connections related to my field of deafness and sign language. Thus, I plan to contribute to the promotion of our association of Malagasy sign language interpreters, to the recognition of this language in Madagascar, and to invest quantitative data in my academic research

Felana Andrianantenaina Razakamahefa - Leadership in Public Management, Syracuse University

Overall, my MWF experience has been an incredible resource for networking with American institutions and with all Young African leaders with whom I shared the six weeks of leadership training hosted by Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University New York. Not only did I discover a new approach to leadership based on global perspectives of equality, but also, I have developed my relational skills and increased my self-awareness on the way to unfold my leadership style. Confident in unity with my fellow leaders, we plan to carry out a pan-African project focusing on unlocking youth potential by creating pathways to work and enabling youth access to employment and economic opportunities. 

Romeo Rajaonarimalala - Leadership in Business, Rutgers University

Lectures and site visits during the MWF program allowed me to learn from the efforts American farms and food companies deploy to run sustainably in this era of climate and health fragility.  I also discovered the processes US greentech companies use to turn waste into green energy in the framework of sustainability. Now back home, I work to implement some farming techniques that will allow me to optimize the quality and quantity of the crops sustainably.  And I plan to work with Malagasy technicians to adapt green energy solutions processing from the US to the local means and contexts. 

Ony Andriamasinoro - Leadership in Public Management, Texas Tech University

From the six weeks fellowship in the US within MWF, I have gained new perspectives on how a developed country is and how to become so. I have realized that we are the ones who can bring solutions to our situations. More than ever, I am convinced that Madagascar has huge potential and can be a prosperous country. My will to take an active role in the political field in Madagascar increases to bring a positive, effective, and sustainable change, and I will do so to make a footprint for the equal and equitable development of my country.

Rindra Rakotoarisoa - Leadership in Civic Engagement, Appalachian State University

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is so relevant for me and my career because it helped me to gain new orientations and visions. I developed my skills to match various situations and experiences. I got to improve my knowledge of what leadership in civic engagement is. The training allowed me to expand my international network to a level up to pursue new opportunities.  It enhances my confidence to reach my goal I would like to establish a sustainable approach in the Madagascar Tourism industry through women empowerment.

Ny Anjara Rafalimanana - Leadership in Business, the University of Texas at Austin

The YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship program opened perspectives that will help me grow my organization.  I also understood that life is a huge challenge and that it is a business in itself; also, despite the problems and difficulties we encounter, it's our resilience that will make it through and will lead us to make a difference.  As a Non-Profit, it is often complicated to manage activities without having enough funding to carry them out.  The Fellowship, through the courses I took at UT, allowed me to understand the entrepreneurship environment in which my organization finds itself and it also allowed me to formulate the mission and the exact vision of my organization:  Yfomac Initiatives.  Being part of the program helped me to shape a new Social Business Model that will allow Yfomac to set up income-generating activity projects to give more opportunities to girls to play football and more opportunity for us to make a more positive impact within the community.  We are shaping the next generation of female sports leaders in Madagascar and Africa. The Fellowship was also an opportunity to connect with other fellows from the African continent and we made important connection with businesspeople in the US who could potentially work with us to set up our project on creating the first women's football training center in Madagascar.  At Yfomac Initiatives, we believe that girls and women in sports deserve a bright future, and we are working to help them achieve their goals. 

Kimmerling Razafindrina - Leadership in Civic Engagement, University of Georgia

I gained a lot from Mandela Washington Fellowship, but I specifically learned from the leadership curriculum how important conflict transformation, a strength-based approach, and embracing diversity and inclusion are to achieve organizational goals. The Community of Practice also taught me the importance of mentoring mindset and youth-adult partnership in youth development.  I will use the knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices to improve my work, and develop my association, especially to achieve my project goals. I will also use this experience to inspire and empower youth in my community, and to strengthen the leadership skills of the members of my association. 

Lanto Robivelo - Leadership in Public Management, Bridgewater State University

Yali MWF inspired me to be confident in striving for excellence in service of those most vulnerable and to use setbacks as a catalyst for learning.  I gained encouragement by standing shoulder to shoulder with my African brothers and sisters, and a sense that we were one voice for change in so many areas.  My final focus project for YALI will become the foundation of my work of service over the next five years, like a pencil sketch of a new horizon of hope for vulnerable children. I now look forward to watching the colors of the painting unfold.

Collected by US Embassy Madagascar

During his campaign for the Presidency, the then Senator John F. Kennedy gave an address to about 10,000 students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on October 14, 1960. Nobody expected him to advance the ambitious idea of creating an international volunteer agency that would later deploy thousands of volunteers all around the world. After his election, President Kennedy signed an executive order, officially establishing the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, to be led by the agency’s first Director, R. Sargent Shriver. The same year, the first Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) were sent to five countries.

The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the US Government. Its mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals: 1) to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained persons; 2) to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of peoples served; and 3) to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. The Peace Corps gathers US citizens, aged 18 or older, who are ready to bring about change, serve communities abroad, and work alongside partners on locally prioritized projects that address communities’ most pressing challenges.  

Since its establishment in 1961, the Peace Corps has trained and deployed more than 241,000 Volunteers in 141 different countries worldwide.

1,574 PCVs have served in Madagascar

The Peace Corps began its program in Madagascar in 1993. Since then, 1,574 PCVs have served local communities all over the country in three main priority fields: agriculture (including nutrition), education, and health. In 2020, PCVs all over the world, including those in Madagascar, were sent back to the United States because of the Covid-19 pandemic; the program here has recently resumed after a break of more than two years. In the meantime, the Peace Corps staff in country were actively involved in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in different regions of Madagascar.

In August 2022, two volunteers returned to Madagascar to resume their service as English teachers in secondary schools. Just recently, in early September, 22 new volunteers arrived from the United States to support projects in education and nutrition, bringing the current total to 24 active Volunteers in the country. The newcomers’ two-year service starts with Malagasy language and technical training, as well as cultural immersion, before they move to their sites throughout Madagascar to begin their assignments. One group of Volunteers will support the Malagasy people by teaching English, while another will promote climate-smart vegetable gardening to address malnutrition. Country Director Brett Coleman says that the Peace Corps is thrilled with their arrival: “For two and a half years, our local staff have done incredible work to maintain Peace Corps’ operations and to maintain our relationships with local communities in preparation for this day. A key aspect of our staff’s work has been to work with local leaders to identify the communities’ own priorities for development, which our Volunteers will support in partnership with the communities.”

Mr. Coleman announced that 35 more PCVs are expected to arrive in Madagascar in February 2023 to work on strengthening local health initiatives, bolstering maternal and child health, and supporting water, sanitation, and hygiene projects.  Peace Corps Madagascar aims to achieve its pre-pandemic level over the next two years, with 150 volunteers spread across the country.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs)

The third goal of the Peace Corps mission is to help Americans better understand the world by bringing Volunteer experiences home to the United States.  Many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, or RPCVs, keep serving and remain actively engaged in other ways throughout their lives and careers, well beyond their Peace Corps service.  There are many RPCVs currently living and working in Madagascar. They served as Volunteers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Niger as well as Madagascar and other countries, and are working in the fields of diplomacy, international development, mining, education, public health, agriculture and rural development, and so on.

Source: www.peacecorps.gov | Peace Corps Madagascar | US Embassy Madagascar

Edited by Winifred Fitzgerald and Kenny Raharison

New national strategy will help conserve nearly 391,000 hectares of Madagascar’s mangroves and protect livelihoods

ANTANANARIVO – This week, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) joined a host of Malagasy officials and private stakeholders to launch a new comprehensive National Mangrove Strategy to protect Madagascar’s mangroves and support the livelihoods of communities that border mangroves.

The event, on the International Day for Conservation of Mangroves, marks the official release of a national plan that includes operational guidance, resources, and governance tools for use by organizations working around mangroves. The publication of this plan is the culmination of nearly four years of strategic collaboration led by USAID through its Hay Tao project.

“This new strategy defines the integrated nature of mangrove management and clarifies the need to address the inextricably linked land, water, and wildlife present in mangrove ecosystems to ensure proper management,” Anna Brenes, USAID’s Acting Environment Office Director said at the launch. “It is critical that we continue to protect, restore, and maximize the benefits of mangroves to coastal communities and Madagascar as a whole.”

Participating in the event were representatives of Madagascar’s Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock; Environment and Sustainable Development; and Fisheries and Blue Economy, along with other stakeholders such as NGOs, academia, and private sector actors. These stakeholders were able to develop the first comprehensive strategy for mangrove management in the history of Madagascar.

As of 2019, there are about 391,000 hectares of mangroves in Madagascar. These ecosystems help protect coastal communities from the effects of cyclones, provide habitat for many species of fish and crustaceans, improve the health of local fisheries, and regulate the climate by storing large amounts of carbon. Effective management of mangroves is critical to protect both the environment and the livelihoods in hundreds of coastal communities.

In addition to USAID Hay Tao, the U.S. government supports mangrove restoration in the Menabe region through the USAID Mikajy project and the United States Forest Service. These initiatives support the establishment of locally-managed marine areas through which local communities protect and restore mangroves, reduce destructive fishing practices, and improve natural resource governance through community patrols and monitoring.

The U.S. government and the Government of Madagascar are working together like “mpirahalahy mianala'' to protect the country’s unparalleled biodiversity and precious natural resources.

Since 2013, the United States has committed more than $60 million in programs that promote sustainability, improve livelihoods for local communities, bolster governance of natural resources, strengthen actions to stop international wildlife trafficking, and protect thousands of hectares from illegal exploitation.

Press Release by U.S. Embassy Madagascar / USAID Madagascar

Mahazoarivo Palace, July 18, 2022 - New U.S. Ambassador Claire Pierangelo made a courtesy call to Prime Minister Ntsay Christian at the Mahazoarivo Palace. She expressed the United States’ commitment to helping the Malagasy government to address major issues. Find her remarks below.

“I have just had a wonderful first meeting with the Prime Minister and we discussed a full range of issues and interest for both Madagascar and the United States.

I appreciate the Prime Minister’s openness, and frankness, and his willingness to work together with me and my country to help Madagascar to address some of its challenges: from promoting democracy to protecting the unique environment here in Madagascar, to bringing in new energy to help electrify the countryside, these are all issues of great interests and concerns to both our nations.

In addition, the United States is looking forward to working with Madagascar to continue to promote vaccination against Covid-19, and we hope that very soon, that the youth of Madagascar aged from 12 to 18 will also be able to be approved to receive the vaccine.

So, you see it is a full agenda of cooperation and collaboration between our two countries and I am so pleased to be here to work with your government and your people on these issues.

So, thank you very much and again I am so happy to be here in Madagascar.”

Source: U.S. Embassy Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO – The U.S. Embassy in Madagascar and Comoros is proud to announce that the following young leaders have been selected to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship’s Alumni Enrichment Institutes:

• For Madagascar, Vony Randrianonenana will be placed at Georgia State University, Henintsoa Daniel Rakotoarison at the University of Washington, and Heriniaina Zhita Irène Andriamalala at Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Comoros, Aincha Aboubakar Oumadi will go to the University of Texas at Austin.

The Alumni Enrichment Institutes are a unique follow-on opportunity for 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni to travel to the United States for three weeks. From July 16 to August 6, 2022, these alumni will be able to collaborate with U.S. counterparts and build upon the skills they developed during their Fellowships. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered in partnership with IREX, a nonprofit organization. Alumni Enrichment Institutes further support the Fellowship’s mission by creating stronger ties between 49 sub-Saharan African countries and the United States with the goal of strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, and enhancing peace and security on the continent.

The program includes a welcome orientation in Washington, DC, from July 16 to July 22, 2022. AEI participants will then travel to one of eight alumni institutes in the United States for two weeks of programming. Throughout the program, Participants will develop lasting connections with Americans while enhancing their skills through leadership training, experiential learning, and networking. They will also develop innovative solutions to pressing challenges in their home countries and collaborate with their peers from both the United States and Africa. In addition to the knowledge and skills they gain, Alumni Enrichment Institute Participants will enrich their U.S. host communities through community service, cultural exchange, and the lasting personal ties they create during their program.

In addition to the AEI, Fellowship Alumni can participate in several types of Alumni Programming to further build their professional skills and networks.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.

Source: U.S. Embassy Madagascar

Since July 2021, the U.S. government has provided both directly and indirectly more than 2.2 million doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO – More than 100,000 doses of the safe and effective Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived earlier this week in Madagascar through the COVAX mechanism. Purchased with funding from the U.S. government, these vaccines are part of the Biden Administration’s global effort to increase vaccine coverage. Since July 2021, the United States has provided more than 2.2 million vaccine doses to the people of Madagascar.

“I encourage Malagasy citizens to take advantage of these free, safe, and effective vaccines,” U.S. Ambassador Claire Pierangelo said. “Widespread vaccination is the surest path to recovering from this pandemic, rebuilding our communities, and reinvigorating our economies,” she added.

The U.S. government is working alongside the Government of Madagascar like “mpirahalahy mianala” to ensure that communities across the country have the resources they need to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. For example, the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), contributed $16.5 million in 2022 alone to support Madagascar’s COVID-19 response. This funding has made possible disease surveillance, disease prevention and control, supply chain management, public awareness campaigns, and vaccinations through USAID ACCESS and IMPACT programs.

The U.S. government will continue to work closely with the Government of Madagascar and governments around the world to protect public health and build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

“We have to double down on our efforts [...] to get shots in people’s arms, country by country, community by community; ensure we have reliable and predictable supplies of vaccines and boosters for everyone, everywhere; expand access globally to tests and treatments; and we have to prevent complacency” U.S. President Joe Biden said.

Press Release by US Embassy Madagascar / USAID Madagascar

This is a fact: tourism is among the most affected sectors during the pandemic. Madagascar’s borders were closed for two years; airline companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. Of course, related activities such as tourist guides, car renting, even handicrafts, have taken a big blow as well. Now that the borders have gradually reopened, it gives a shot in the arm to tourism operators and airlines, according to the words of the Minister of Tourism Joël Randriamandranto during an interview with the AmCham team.

A quite positive report despite the crisis

Tourism professionals did not stand idly by even during lockdowns. The big surprise was to see new hotels and tour operators being created during those uncertain times. The Ministry of Tourism even issued new licenses. Joël Randriamandranto reports that there is a real demand for travel and tourism today as people get tired of restrictions. The recovery is now. Figures show that half the international arrivals are non-residents who come for different reasons, including business tourism and leisure tourism.

A development perspective based on local tourism

Despite the reluctance of many tourist operators, a number of initiatives have been taken by the Ministry to promote local tourism, starting with market research and survey. The “Andao Hizaha an’i Madagasikara” (Let’s Explore Madagascar”) campaign was launched in the public and social media. The Ministry also created the online platform https://www.bons-plans-tourisme-madagascar.com/ where all operators could publish their offers free of charge in return for some discount.

Back in November 2020, 20 tourism operators agreed to showcase their offers during the first edition of the Ministry-sponsored “Tsenaben’ny Fizahantany” at Antaninarenina while in the middle of the pandemic and after eight months without income. The event surprisingly gathered around 4,000 visitors. The event has scaled over time. The sixth edition in March 2022 received up to 12,000 visitors and moved to Soarano train station.

Today, even after the reopening of the borders, the Ministry will not stop promoting national tourism. As of 2019, a little less than 400,000 foreign tourists visited Madagascar. Today, a wide market of an estimated 2.5 million potential local tourists has been identified by the Ministry.

Speaking of the recovery of international tourism, Minister Joël Randriamandranto has explained his roadmap based on seven key axes: (1) promoting investment in the tourism sector; (2) promoting the “Madagascar Destination”; (3) digitalization; (4) providing capacity-building programmes on different topics such as trainings for guides, language trainings, or digital marketing; (5) improving the tourism environment in Madagascar by updating the Tourism Code, and helping formalize informal activities within six months; (6) working with TFPs to mobilize human, technical, and financial resources; and (7) acting as interface between the private sector and any other institution. Additionally, the Ministry has established a recovery plan to refer to as well.

Ecotourism: local communities as main beneficiaries

In its roadmap, the Ministry has issued a practical guide that illustrates the good practices for both tourists and service providers. These include environment protection and respect for local communities and tourists. “The development of tourism must benefit local communities,” Joël Randriamandranto said.

Investors in ecotourism are asked to employ local people and provide them trainings. Incentives tax measures have been put in place for investors who use renewable energy. Companies are recommended to implement CSR policies, to do recycling, to plant trees. The Ministry has initiated the “One Tourist, One Tree” reforestation campaign in the Itasy region and seeks to extend it to other locations. “We seek to train farmers use less chemicals or definitely grow organic products that the Ministry would recommend to hotels and restaurants. Today, we are searching for investors who would be ready to develop ecolodges,” Minister Randriamandranto added.

“Another closure of our borders is off the table.”

Recent figures about Covid cases show an upward trend; Madagascar’s sanitary situation remains fragile; and our vaccination rate is still low. To Minister Randriamandranto, another closure of Madagascar’s borders is not on the agenda. Thanks to all the efforts made to ensure the safety of all the tourism actors in Madagascar during the pandemic (trainings, vaccination, etc.), the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) listed Madagascar as a safe destination.

On active search for potential investors

“Our first achievement was the creation a database of business and investment opportunities in Madagascar in 2019,” explained Joël Randriamandranto. During the 2019 investment forum “Wave Madagascar”, 80 investors from different countries and fields (maritime, waterway, hospitality, etc.) came to Madagascar. The Ministry launched a call for land owners. Unfortunately, many of them were not secure enough.

“We have set a three-step strategy to maximize our investment potential: (1) updating our database of business opportunities; (2) looking for both local and foreign investors via embassies, chambers of commerce, and providing them support; and (3) exploring possibilities for tax incentives,” Joël Randriamandranto described.

“We have an open policy.”

The opening of the Malagasy skies remains a priority of the government. Joël Randriamandranto reassures new airlines are welcome in Madagascar as long as they meet all the conditions set by the Government. However, South African Airlink is still banned as of today. The Minister explains that there are many points of contention, mainly in terms of security, that need to be addressed. He is though hopeful the process will no longer take much time.

Towards fact-finder tours or “eductours”

Madagascar will host fact-finder tours in late September and will welcome around 100 tour operators from different countries. Those “eductours” are part of the recovery plan. The Ministry will negotiate the best airfares with operating airlines and will bear all local accommodation and transportation costs.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s documentary that brought the Tsingy of Bemaraha to light was a form of free promotion of the island. The U.S. has become a priority market for Madagascar, and among the 100 targeted participants, the Ministry expects American tour operators to be represented. However, this requires English language trainings. The Ministry tries to identify and propose the best tourism fairs in the United States to the National Office of Tourism of Madagascar which can support local companies’ participation.

First semester figures show that of 49,131 international arrivals from January 1^st to May 31^st, 2022, 18 percent mentioned tourism as main purpose of their trip, and 398 are American citizens (residents and non-residents). The number of American tourists is low due to the distance and the lack of accessibility. Joël Randriamandranto recommends local operators to build partnerships with their peers in the US. Trends show that France, England, Italy, Germany, Spain, and South Africa are Madagascar’s traditional markets. However, the Ministry starts exploring India, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Full recovery of the sector by 2023?

“From my continuous exchanges with local tour operators, they really start to resume their activities. The demand is there; tourists give their confirmation. Even though we have not yet achieved the same level of performance as in 2019, we are on the right track. Just look at the summer flights, it is difficult to find available spots. All actions being implemented converge towards the same and unique goal: bringing tourists back to Madagascar after this disastrous pandemic. We keep our fingers crossed that we will reach at least the 2019 figures next year,” Joël Randriamandranto concluded.

By Kenny Raharison and Maherintsoa Andrianiaina

An estimated 100,000 unintended pregnancies, 22,000 unsafe abortions, and 300 maternal deaths were averted in 2019 alone through these legal and regulatory reforms

ANTANANARIVO – The U.S. Government closed out its Health Policy Plus activity (HP+) in Madagascar last Friday after seven years of significant gains. Since 2016, HP+ has helped Madagascar diminish preventable maternal and child deaths by ensuring people across the country can access quality, affordable healthcare and helping people meet their needs for family planning.

With $7.6 million in funding, HP+ led advocacy for legislative reforms, such as the 2018 adoption of a law governing reproductive health and family planning. It also helped the Ministry of Public Health develop and implement policies to strengthen the health system, especially with respect to improving nutrition.

Around the world, HP+ strengthens and advances health policy priorities at the global, national, and subnational levels. It improves the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy design, implementation, and financing.

“Through the work of Health Policy Plus, Madagascar has implemented strategies to strengthen the national health system, and put in place consequential new laws, regulations and frameworks for stronger reproductive health and family planning,” Acting USAID Mission Director Randy Chester said at the closing ceremony last Friday. “Today we celebrate successes achieved through long-term work. Let us continue to work together for the health and well-being of the Malagasy people.”

The results of the legal and regulatory reforms have been palpable. In 2019, a year after the reproductive health and family planning law passed, an estimated 100,000 unintended pregnancies, 22,000 unsafe abortions, and 300 maternal deaths were averted due to the increased voluntary use of modern methods of contraception, as compared to 2017, according to government data from 2020.

At the ceremony, Director General of the National Institute for Community and Public Health Sahondranirina Hanitriniala said that the support the U.S. Government has brought to the health system in Madagascar through USAID flowed through multiple agencies, inculcated a strong partnership and mutual sharing of values and skills, and played a valuable role in the Ministry’s work on family planning, community health, access to health financing, maternal and child health, and water and sanitation.

The United States stands side by side with Madagascar like ‘mpirahalahy mianala’ to help improve the health and well-being of the Malagasy people. USAID, through its activities like HP+ which strengthened family planning efforts, has helped Madagascar to begin shifting its age structure for the island to be more demographically comparable to other countries that have recently seen considerable economic growth.

Through USAID, the U.S. government remains the largest donor to Madagascar’s health sector with an average annual contribution of $72 million. This funding contributes to family planning; maternal and child health; nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; and malaria.

Press Release by US Embassy Madagascar / USAID Madagascar

Villa Philadelphia, Ambaranjana – Antananarivo June 30, 2022

Tongasoa!

Your Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Madagascar members, Honorable guests and partners, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for welcoming me to Madagascar and for joining us here today to celebrate the 246th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.

The United States and Madagascar have enjoyed relations for more than 150 years. Today, our countries continue to make progress together, like mpirahalahy mianala, on a host of issues, from humanitarian assistance and good governance to public health and national security.

The United States is the leading provider of humanitarian assistance to Madagascar, having committed $108 million since 2020. Our projects in the south are addressing food insecurity by feeding those at risk and assisting farmers with agricultural recovery. We welcome the efforts of the Government of Madagascar to lead development partners and local communities in building greater resilience to increasingly more frequent climatic shocks.

I am pleased to announce that USAID, the development agency of the United States Government, recently identified Madagascar as a Resilience Focus Country to offer new development resources and greater programmatic support focused on helping Madagascar adapt to and cope with this evolving challenge.

Additionally, President Biden just announced at the G7 Summit a few days ago the inclusion of Madagascar as a new Target country for the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative. This flagship development initiative will also tap further resources to improve food security and nutrition of the Malagasy people.

With these two initiatives and other potential support from Washington, I hope that the cooperation between our two countries deepens and grows over the next few years.

I want to applaud the Government of Madagascar’s efforts to modernize its judiciary, improve public resource management, and enhance public service delivery through greater active participation of its citizens. Just this April, we announced the RINDRA project, a five-year, $15.5 million program funded by the U.S. Government to strengthen governance, justice, and civic engagement in Madagascar. I would like to specifically recognize the members of the judiciary here with us today who play an invaluable role in strengthening Madagascar’s institutions and combatting corruption.

In the health sector, the United States remains a committed partner and the largest donor with roughly $72 million in support each year. We are also the largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines to Madagascar, having provided more than 2.1 million doses since July 2021. We applaud the Ministry of Public Health’s work on increasing access to these safe and effective vaccines. We look forward to a Government of Madagascar decision soon to expand the eligibility of vaccines to youth ages 12 to18. We know that widespread vaccination is the surest path to recovering from this pandemic, rebuilding our communities, and reinvigorating our economies.

The United States has invested $60 million over the last decade in programs to promote sustainability, improve local livelihoods, and bolster the good governance of natural resources.

We will continue this important work, in collaboration with the Government of Madagascar, non-governmental actors, and civil society organizations to ensure future generations of Malagasies can benefit from the country’s unparalleled biodiversity and other natural resources.

The United States remains committed to facing our shared security concerns in Madagascar and the broader Indian Ocean Region. We commend the progress that the Ministry of Defense has made in restructuring the Malagasy Armed Forces to better face the great challenges of our times. We have several projects underway that we hope will contribute to your success. We have always worked closely with the National Police and Gendarmerie to help ensure those who commit crimes in Madagascar are held to account. And we will continue to seek opportunities to develop the capacity of our national security and law enforcement partners.

As Madagascar approaches 2023 national elections, the United States remains committed to supporting the development of Madagascar’s democratic institutions and processes. To that end, I am pleased to announce an additional $1 million in USAID programming to help Madagascar build on its recent democratic successes.

I am also pleased to announce that the Peace Corps just gave final approval for the return of Peace Corps Volunteers, who will begin returning to Madagascar in August after a 2 1⁄2 year absence. Peace Corps Volunteers have served in close partnership with local communities since 1993, and we are thrilled to renew that partnership.

The bond between the American and Malagasy people is strong, deep, and broad, like mpirahalahy mianala. As I begin my own journey “through the forest” with the Malagasy people,

I look forward to getting to know so many of you, furthering our progress, and strengthening our ties.

Misaotra Tompoko and Happy Fourth of July!

Source: U.S. Embassy Antananarivo

The credentialing ceremony took place at Presidential Palace in Iavoloha

ANTANANARIVO – The new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar, Claire A. Pierangelo, presented her credentials to President Andry Rajoelina during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Iavoloha on June 29.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Pierangelo underscored the U.S. government’s commitment to its bilateral relationship with Madagascar. “I had a very good meeting with the President and the Foreign Minister today and we had a chance to discuss all the challenges that face Madagascar and perhaps the opportunities for the United States to partner with [the] country to assist and face all those challenges,” she said. “I think together, in cooperation, we can help the Malagasy people achieve their hopes and their dreams.”

Ambassador Pierangelo most recently served as Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria and as the Acting Deputy Commandant of the National War College at the National Defense University.

She has held a variety of senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about Ambassador Pierangelo at https://mg.usembassy.gov/ambassador-pierangelo/.