Spotlight | Madagascar
France takes step towards returning royal relics to Madagascar

Madagascar
Royal relics restitution ceremony to take place in Paris

After being postponed in April, the ceremony for the restitution of Saklava King Toera's sacred remains will in the end take place in the French capital, at the Ministry of Culture, with Rachida Dati and Volamiranty Donna Mara in attendance.

Nigeria
Abuja to respond to US collector Robert Lehman's refusal to return Benin Bronzes

The National Commission for Museums and Monuments has suffered a setback. A collector has refused to return works looted by the British in the 19th century, which he has held onto since an exhibition at a Boston museum in late April.

Algeria
French-language education loses out amid Paris-Algiers tensions

Even before the row over Western Sahara, there had been an increasing number of disagreements between Emmanuel Macron and Abdelmadjid Tebboune. One of them was over education and, as a result, the number of Algerian schools accredited by France has never taken off.

Madagascar
Academic Mbembe visits Antananarivo to open branch of Macron's African democratic foundation

Achille Mbembe, a leading political scientist and historian from Cameroon, visited the Malagasy capital at the start of March to open the local branch of the Innovation for Democracy Foundation, of which he is MD.

Madagascar
Paris's heritage ambassador off to Antananarivo

Former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez will travel to Madagascar next month.

Palace Intrigues
Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Nadia Fettah, Rachida Dati

Intrigues big and small – every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Republic of CongoSassou hosts VIP bankers in Oyo stronghold

MoroccoReluctant Nadia Fettah reappointed finance minister

MadagascarRachida Dati clashes with collections curator over royal relics

Madagascar
Next Indian Ocean Commission summit pencilled in for April

Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina recently proposed several dates in April 2025 to his fellow heads of state for the 5th Summit of the Indian Ocean Commission and now awaits confirmation.

Madagascar
Andry Rajoelina to attend OIF summit

Though the president of Madagascar did not make it to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the landing in Provence, France, he will attend the next OIF Summit, which will take place north of Paris on 4-5 October.

Madagascar
Return of royal relics: Franco-Madagascan joint commission meeting postponed indefinitely

The Madagascan culture minister's imminent resignation will postpone the first meeting of the Franco-Malagasy joint commission charged with deciding on the return of the Sakalava king's skull to Madagascar.

Madagascar
Quai d'Orsay to visit rapper Orelsan's Ony House and other projects

The head of the French foreign ministry's Directorate General of Globalisation (DGM), Aurélien Lechevallier, is expected in Madagascar in mid-March, where he will visit French rapper Orelsan's Ony House cultural project based in Antananarivo.

Madagascar
EDF decision on Volobe dam project imminent

Talks with the Compagnie Générale d'Hydroélectricité de Volobe consortium have entered the home straight, and France's electricity giant is expected this month to decide whether to join Madagascar's €600m hydroelectric power project.

Madagascar
Out with the old, in with the new at the French-Malagasy chamber of commerce

The unanimous election of Johanne Raharinosy to replace veteran André Beaumont at the head of the chamber ushers in a new era. A raft of young entrepreneurs have joined the board of the organisation, which is in line for a shake-up.