Fight against poverty and corruption will be priority - New Madagascar PM

Madagascar’s new Prime Minister, Solonandrasana Olivier Mahafaly, has pledged to focus on fighting poverty and corruption as he took over the position formerly occupied by Jean Ravelonarivo.

“Our priorities will be the fight against poverty,” adding that beyond poverty, “the fight against corruption…, the fight against the looting of our natural ressources,” would be crucial, Mahafaly said at the handover ceremony in the capital Antananarivo.

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Ravelonarivo left office amid confusion over his resignation after he reportedly resigned and denied later. But on Sunday, the president’s office announced Olivier Mahafaly – a former interior minister – as the new premier barely 48 hours after reports that Ravelonarivo had resigned.

Madagascar has struggled to rebuild since a 2009 coup that scared off donors and foreign investors.

Mahafaly did not say when the next government will be formed, saying that would be determined by the president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

Donors resumed lending to Madagascar after successful elections in 2013 ended the political crisis and Rajaonarimampianina took office in January 2014.

Reuters