African Union suspends Madagascar from the bloc following military coup

The African Union announced Wednesday that it had suspended Madagascar from its bodies with immediate effect "until constitutional order is restored after a coup that ousted President Andry Rajoelina.

The group previously suspended several other member states after military coups, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The uprising resulted in a military-backed coup that brought Rajoelina to power as the transitional leader of his Indian Ocean country at the age of just 34.

On Tuesday, the same military unit that aided Rajoelina's rise declared it was taking power in Madagascar and ousting him as president following weeks of youth-led protests — this time against Rajoelina and his government.

About 75% of the country's 30 million people are affected by poverty, according to the World Bank, with lack of access to higher education, government corruption and the cost of living among the issues dominating the recent protests.

Meanwhile, Randrianirina "will be sworn in as president of Madagascar during a solemn hearing of the high constitutional court" on 17 October, the country's military rulers said in a statement published on social media by a state television station.