Madagascar minister fired for voting against Russia's Ukraine annexation

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has sacked his foreign minister, Richard Randriamandranto, without giving an explanation but a week after Madagascar voted at the UN to condemn Russia's "illegal annexations" of Ukrainian territory.

On Tuesday, before a planned trip to Morocco, the president signed the repeal decree dismissing his minister. "The Minister of Defense is in charge of the interim," said the decree, which was released to the media.

In the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Madagascar has adopted a non-aligned policy, despite the invitation from the European Union and the United States to condemn Russia.

But on October 12, Madagascar, along with 142 other countries, condemned Russia's "illegal annexations" in Ukraine, in sharp contrast to the political line taken by the country since the beginning of the war.

On Saturday, the public TVM channel broadcast reports accusing the foreign minister of having taken this decision without consulting either the head of state or the prime minister.

The information was relayed by the Malagasy press on Monday, accusing the minister of insubordination.

And on Tuesday at the National Assembly, Richard Randriamandranto refused to answer questions from the press, saying that "we must not create a rift.

For the opposition, the national coordinator of the HVM party, Rivo Rakotovao, the minister "has only played the role of fuse to correct a diplomatic error".