AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
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Email: situationroom@africa-union.org
PRESS RELEASE
AU AND SADC INTENSIFY THEIR JOINT EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE
THE RESOLUTION OF THE CRISIS IN MADAGASCAR
Addis Ababa, 2 August 2013: As part of the efforts aimed at facilitating an early return to
constitutional order in Madagascar, through the organization of presidential elections in line
with the Roadmap for ending the crisis in that country, the African Union (AU) Commissioner
for Peace and Security, Ramtane Lamamra, who is also the Chair of the International Contact
Group on Madagascar (ICG-M), and the Mediator of the Southern African Development
Community (SADC), former President Joaquim Chissano, undertook a visit to Antananarivo, on 1
and 2 August 2013. During their visit, they met the President of the Transition, Andry Rajoelina,
the signatory parties of the Roadmap and the Independent National Electoral Commission of
the Transition (CENI-T), as well as the local chapter of the ICG-M.
Thevisit was aimed at discussing with the Malagasy parties the legal and practical arrangements
to be taken for the effective conduct of the presidential and legislative elections in accordance
with the Roadmap and the Malagasy electoral code. During their previous visit to Antananarivo,
from 9 to 13 July 2013, the joint AU/SADC delegation submitted to the Malagasy parties a
Seven-Point Plan designed to implement the conclusions of the 7th meeting of the ICG-M, held
in Addis Ababa, on 26 June 2013.
At a press conference held at the end of their visit, former President Chissano and
Commissioner Lamamra, while highlighting the spirit of compromise and the sense of
responsibility required in order to overcome the remaining difficulties, expressed optimism
about the prospects of ending the crisis in Madagascar. They assured the Malagasy parties of
the readiness of the international community to support them, provided that the conditions
laid down by SADC, the AU and the ICG-M with respect to the holding of the presidential
election are met.