Madagascar's political leaders have agreed to appoint a multiparty transitional government, headed by Andry Rajoelina, the leader who seized power last March, until new elections. The new administration will include representatives of ousted President Marc Ravalomanana.
This was announced in a statement by the African Union on Wednesday, following consultations in Antananarivo at which members of the country's four main political forces were represented.
The AU announced that the parties had reached a consensus on the following line-up for the transitional administration:
- President: Andry Rajoelina;
- Vice-president: Emmanuel Rakotovahiny of former President Albert Zafy's party
- Prime minister and chief of a consensus government: Eugene Mangalaza of the party of former president Didier Ratsiraka, who was himself deposed by Ravalomanana;
- A Congress of the Transition: to be led by an of Ravalomanana's movement;
- A Superior Council of the Transition: to be led by a Rajoelina appointee;
- A National Council of Reconciliation: to be headed by Albert Zafy; and
- An Economic and Social Council: to be led by a civil society appointee.
Mangalaza will replace an appointee of the Rajoelina administration.
The AU statement said that while Ravalomanana's movement had accepted Rajoelina's appointment, it expressed its strong objection to him standing as president in the elections, which must be held by late next year. An international mediation team will continue its work, the statement said, to ensure a "broad and inclusive" consensus and transition.
The mediators who brokered an agreement on elections and a transition back to democracy included African Union Commission Chief Jean Ping and former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano.
They said in the AU statement that they "strongly encouraged Malagasy leaders to restore the rule of law" and called for a "rapid return to constitutional order."
