Madagascar: COMESA opts for military action

  1. Posted on Tuesday 9 June 2009 - 09:43
    bruce
    Bruce Sibanda, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe
    The African trade group, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on Monday passed a shocking resolution stating that a military intervention could be an option to restore democracy in Madagascar.
    army in madagascar
    COMESA, a 19-member organization condemned the military-backed opposition revolt which ousted Madagascar's leader Marc Ravalomanana in March by Andry Rajoelina.

    "We welcome and agreed, as pronounced by the AU, to support SADC as they take a lead in efforts to restore constitutional order in Madagascar by examining all options, including the possibility of military intervention," COMESA said.

    Ravalomanana, at the weekend told the Zimbabwean press that he still believes that one day he would regain his presidency. He added: "It was a coup. I’m sure COMESA will make a commitment so that I get my country back...People of Madagascar are suffering. The illegal government is bad and the situation is deteriorating every day. We have to follow rules of democracy."

    The resolution surprised most delegates who felt that the economic bloc should "limit its scope on trade issues".

    During his stay in Victoria Falls, Ravalomanana had high security around him befitting a full head of state.

    Ravalomanana, who is exiled in South Africa, was at the summit in Victoria Falls to drum up more support after winning the backing of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU).

    The SADC and the AU both suspended Madagascar after Rajoelina ousted him with the help of renegade soldiers and called the former disc jockey's seizure of power "a coup."

Latest News

  1. AFCON: 46 hurt in Zambia victory celebrations09/02Over 40 casualty cases were recorded Wednesday night at Zambia's University Teaching Hospital (UTH) after post-match celebrations turned violent …
  2. African Peer Review Mechanism making progress08/02In 2003 the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the continental development plan, initiated the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM…
  3. Combating HIV infections among African women08/02With a lack of knowledge and power, African women continue to bear the brunt of HIV infections.
  4. Legume cultivation booms in Western Kenya07/02Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) who traditionally relied on seed companies for all their seeds are now bulking their own legume seeds for their farms.
  5. Malawi vendors chase out Chinese07/02Vendors in Kalonga, the Northern district of Malawi, on Wednesday petitioned the District Commissioner to flash out all Chinese nationals who are doin…
  6. Zim: Informal sector urged to join HIV battle05/02While the Harare City council is busy engaging in running battles with city vendors, Health Minister has called for authorities to devise ways to form…
  7. Elections: Wole Soyinka warns Mugabe, Wade03/02The Nigerian Nobel Prize winner for literature said heads of states who are trying to cling to power suffer the same fate as the dictators who were sw…
  8. AU elections rescheduled for June in Malawi01/02Following a deadlock during Monday's African Union elections, with a tie between former wife to South African president Jacob Zuma, Home Affairs …
  9. Senegal in turmoil as protest intensifies01/02Hundreds of anti-government protesters Tuesday gathered in the central Dakar, Senegal to show their dissatisfaction over the incumbent president Abdou…
  10. Zimbabwe’s inflation still favourable -…01/02Zimbabwe's annual headline inflation still compared favourably with economies in the region, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono said o…
  11. AFCON 2012: Sudan qualifies after four decades31/01The Sudanese national team has sealed a historic win over the Stallions of Burkina Faso.
  12. Senegalese opposition to intensify protests31/01Opposition and civil society groups in Senegal have vowed to increase their fight against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade's presidential bid.
  13. Malawi: Rights coalition condemn stripping of…30/01The 39 members of the Solidarity for African Women's Rights Coalition based in 18 African countries have vehemently condemned the stripping of wo…
  14. Kenya to deworm five million children annually30/01Kenya launched the second phase of its national deworming programme at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012, aiming to treat 5 million childre…
  15. Benin’s Yayi Boni is AU’s new…30/01President Yayi Boni of Benin Republic has been elected chairperson of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa
News archive