Madagascar, France Revive Talks Over Disputed Scattered Island
French President Emmanuel Macron and Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina are set to meet in Paris to revive talks over the Scattered Islands, a chain of uninhabited islets in the Indian Ocean claimed by Madagascar but administered by France since colonial times.
In the colonial period, all the islands were part of Madagascar, which was under French rule from 1896 to 1960. They were split off shortly before Madagascar gained independence. There were two votes in the UN General Assembly in 1979 and 1980 calling for the islands to be returned because the move was illegal.
The islands hold strategic, ecological, and symbolic importance, offering control over vast maritime zones rich in resources. The issue has become politically sensitive in Madagascar, where sovereignty remains a point of national pride. Talks also focused on economic cooperation, with France pledging support for development projects.
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French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his desire to seek "forgiveness" for France's colonial rule over Madagascar, beginning with the return of looted cultural artefacts. The island was under French colonial rule from 1896 until 1960, when it gained full independence.
Macron confirmed plans to return cultural items
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A map showing the Scattered Islands, a cluster of French-held territories located in the Indian Ocean.
