Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina said on Monday he was dissolving the government following youth-led protests over water and power cuts in which the United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured.
Inspired by the so-called 'Gen Z' protests in Kenya and Nepal, the three days of demonstrations are the largest the Indian Ocean island has seen in years, and the most serious challenge Rajoelina has faced since his re-election in 2023.
"We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them," Rajoelina said in speech on state broadcaster Televiziona Malagasy (TVM).
The president said he wanted to create space for dialogue with young people, and promised measures to support businesses affected by looting.
"I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems. I heard the call, I felt the suffering, I understood the impact on daily life," he said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the casualties include protesters and bystanders killed by members of the security forces, but also others killed in subsequent widespread violence and looting by individuals and gangs not associated with the protesters.
Madagascar's ministry of foreign affairs rejected the casualty figures reported by the UN, saying the data did not come from competent national authorities "and are based on rumors or misinformation."
On Monday protesters gathered at a university where they waved placards and sang the national anthem before attempting to march towards the city centre, footage from 2424.MG news channel showed.
Police fired teargas to disperse the crowd, after authorities declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew last week.
The protesters have adapted a flag used in Nepal where protesters forced the prime minister to resign this month and have also used similar online organisation tactics as protests in Kenya last year that culminated in the government scrapping proposed tax legislation.
Rajoelina first came to power in a 2009 coup. He stepped down in 2014 but became president again after winning the 2018 election, and secured a third term in a December 2023 poll that his challengers said was marred by irregularities.
European leaders are meeting in Finland for a high-level summit on Arctic security and cooperation as the region takes on greater strategic importa...
Georgia has been formally integrated into the European Union's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), bringing Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, Georgi...
Türkiye’s foreign minister has renewed calls for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to disarm and disband, during talks with...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
European leaders are meeting in Finland for a high-level summit on Arctic security and cooperation as the region takes on greater strategic importance.
Amazon has paused its operations with 21 Air, the Miami-based cargo carrier that operated an Amazon Air flight which crashed at Miami International Airport last weekend, killing five people.
Voters in the southern Philippines are casting ballots in a historic election that could shape the future of one of the country’s most conflict-affected regions and put a decades-long peace process to a crucial test.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed back against growing calls for the artificial intelligence (AI) industry to slow down, arguing that maintaining America’s lead over China is more important.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment