05:00
HERITAGE CLASSES
10,622 participants were registered during the “Heritage Classes” for the 2023-2024 school year, which ended with the start of the summer vacation. City tours, guided visits, and walking tours were organized to help them discover the cultural and heritage richness of the Analamanga region and to provide them with enriching experiences and adventures, reports the Regional Tourism Office of Antananarivo. It is also about instilling in young people the values of responsible tourism and the promotion of heritage, according to ORTANA. Among the emblematic places explored by the young explorers during the last school year are Antsahadinta, Ankadinandriana, Ambohimanga, Alasora, Ilafy, and the Haute Ville… The next Heritage Classes will start with the 2024-2025 school year. In the meantime, the program is open during the holidays to NGOs and associations working for children and young people, indicated ORTANA.
06:00
AGOA
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expires in 2025, a forum on its reauthorization and modernization has been held since July 24 in Washington. In his statement for the occasion, U.S. President Joe Biden stressed the need to reauthorize and modernize AGOA, which has been in effect for over 20 years, as it has been essential for the economic partnership between the United States and African countries. It has also helped increase the competitiveness of African products, create quality jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, and promote human rights. At its enactment in 2000, Madagascar was one of its first beneficiaries. This law has notably led to the creation of approximately 60,000 direct jobs in the Great Island.
07:00
BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION
The second edition of the “Médias#PourLesAiresProtégées” reportage scholarship competition was officially launched on July 25, 2024, during a press conference at Hotel Colbert Antaninarenina. Organized by the Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity of Madagascar (FAPBM), in collaboration with the Varuna program funded by the French Development Agency and coordinated by Expertise France, the Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) via the Varuna – Sustainability Sciences project, and REMAPSEN Madagascar (African Media Network for Health and Environment Promotion – Madagascar), this initiative aims to encourage and support journalists passionate about biodiversity to create original reports on local communities and experts involved in biodiversity conservation, as well as to highlight isolated protected areas. This competition highlights the crucial role of the media and journalists in raising public awareness and advocating for biodiversity conservation. Titled “The Young Heroes of Conservation,” this edition will showcase the role of young people from local communities in preserving biodiversity and sustainably managing protected areas in Madagascar. It will also highlight the importance of the contribution of young local experts and the challenges they face. The main objective is to draw the attention of decision-makers to the impact of involving these young people in the conservation of natural heritage in the face of current environmental challenges. Six journalists will be selected and each will receive a scholarship of 3,500,000 MGA. The competition is open to all professional journalists, regardless of age, who are fluent in Malagasy and/or French, and who have not been winners in the first edition.
08:00
MATERAUTO-HALADJIAN
Haladjian Construction & Mining Group and Materauto have recently formed a partnership to promote the entire Haladjian catalog to all users of mining equipment and machinery in Madagascar. This collaboration represents a significant step in expanding the services and expertise of both companies in the extractive industry, mines, construction, and energy market. Philippe Escalere, Partner Network Manager of Haladjian Group, expressed the group’s enthusiasm for this new venture. On the other hand, Rémi Auge, Managing Director of Materauto, added that this collaboration will offer innovative solutions that will make a difference for equipment users in Madagascar. The Haladjian group, a family-owned company with 60 years of experience in the extractive industry, mines, construction, and energy, is present internationally and is a key independent player in parts distribution, services, and engineering.
09:14
YLTP
The digital transition and good governance, media and democracy, as well as personal branding in the era of social networks were among the topics discussed during the 5th training session of the Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP). This session, which recently took place under the theme “Digital, information and disinformation,” also included site visits and meetings with various officials to stimulate reflections. It allowed participants to see with their own eyes and understand the complexity of the technical, but above all political, issues of digital transformation.
10:00
OBITUARY
Jean André Soja, also known as Kaleta, passed away yesterday at the age of 78 after a illness. He was a senator and member of the High Council of the Transition during the transition, and was appointed Special Counselor to the President of the Republic in 2022.
11:00
ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY
A seminar on forest crime and a coordination meeting on wildlife trafficking cases were recently organized by Interpol at the Carlton Hotel as part of the “Environmental Security Program”, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) and the Ministry of Public Security. The objectives of these meetings were to bring together national decision-makers from various national entities responsible for law enforcement, in order to examine the current forest governance in Madagascar, while sharing experiences and information in a conducive atmosphere for inter-agency cooperation. The MEDD, in its fight against forest crime and wildlife trafficking, applies a ZERO TOLERANCE policy. This demonstrates a firm commitment to eradicate illegal exploitation and trafficking related to wildlife, starting with the dismantling of local supply chains up to the international network of traffickers.
12:00
SMOKING
In the context of monitoring the implementation of the Optional Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat were welcomed by Herizo Rakotomalala, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Anosy yesterday. The Big Island is a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and has already made significant progress in the fight against smoking. However, major challenges remain, including the establishment of strict legislation by adopting an anti-tobacco law, the implementation of Protocol measures to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products, regulation of new tobacco products, and training in addiction medicine.
14:00
PRM AT THE ELYSEE PALACE
The collaboration between Madagascar and France on hydroelectric production, aiming to address Madagascar’s lag in energy production, was one of the topics discussed during the meeting between President Andry Rajoelina and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, at the Elysee Palace today. This meeting also allowed the Malagasy Head of State to invite the French President to participate in the summit of Indian Ocean countries, which will be held in Madagascar, an invitation that the latter accepted.
14:30
WEATHER REPORT
According to Météo Madagascar, the temperatures at the end of this week will not undergo significant changes. A weak trade wind pattern will affect the weather on July 27th. Cloudy skies with a slight chance of morning precipitation are expected on the coasts of Vatovavy, Fitovinany, and Atsimo Atsinanana in the morning. Scattered light showers are also expected on Atsimo Atsinanana, the coasts of Sava, Ambatosoa, and Analanjirofo in the afternoon. The sun will dominate the rest of the island after the dissipation of morning fog. For Sunday, July 28th, a weak trade wind flow will continue to influence the weather on the island. However, the approach of a cold front south of Madagascar will characterize the weather on Monday, July 29th. Temperatures will remain relatively stable across the country.
15:00
MISSION HARMONY 2024
The Chinese hospital ship “Ark of Peace” arrived in Antsiranana on Friday, July 26th and will stay there until August 2nd. For one week, free medical services will be offered to the local population as part of the Harmony 2024 Mission. Approximately 700 people per day are expected to benefit from free diagnosis and treatment of common diseases. Madagascar is the 64th country visited by this ship since the launch of the Harmony Mission in 2008. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this mission symbolizes the growing solidarity and Sino-Malagasy friendship, and demonstrates China’s commitment to supporting the development and well-being of local populations.
16:00
MADAGASCAR AIRLINES
In order to limit travel during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the team at the Madagascar Airlines agency in Paris will be working remotely starting from Friday, July 26th until August 11th, 2024, it has been announced. According to the explanation, this measure has been taken in accordance with the recommendations of the local French authorities.
17:00
OLYMPIC GAMES
Seven athletes represent Madagascar at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. They are Rosinah Randafiarison (Weightlifting, -49 kg), Laura Aina Rasoanaivo (Judo, -70 kg), Fabio Rakotoarimanana (Table Tennis), Sidonie Fiadanantsoa (Athletics – 100-meter hurdles), Rija Vatomanga Gardinier (Athletics – 100 meters), Holy Antsa Rabe Jaona (Swimming – 50m freestyle), and Jonathan Harivony Raharvel (Swimming – 100m breaststroke). The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place on Friday, July 26th, 2024 on the Seine in Paris, with the protocol ceremonies at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, in the Trocadéro Gardens.
