05:00
SANITATION
The Ministry of Decentralization and Territorial Planning (MDAT) is providing assistance to the urban municipality of Antananarivo in the collection of garbage that is piling up again in several neighborhoods of the capital. The MDAT has provided technical and logistical support to the municipality, emphasizing that maintaining cleanliness is a collective responsibility that requires the commitment of everyone.
06:00
PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS
Things are getting serious for Malagasy athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Malagasy swimmer Jonathan Harivony Raharvel is the first Malagasy athlete to compete on Saturday in the swimming pools of Paris La Défense Arena. Engaged in the 100m breaststroke event, he aims to improve his own record. It is worth mentioning that Jonathan Raharvel holds the Madagascar record for the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1’02”92/100.
07:00
HERITAGE CLASS
While waiting for the next school year to start, the “Heritage Classes”, organized by the Analamanga Regional Tourism Office (Ortana), are open during this vacation period to associations and NGOs working for the rights of young people and children. This program is initiated by Ortana with the aim of transmitting the value of culture and heritage to young people and promoting tourism in the region. It also aims to raise awareness about environmental protection, to promote knowledge of tourist sites and attractions, to train young people in responsible conduct towards heritage, to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of heritage, and to instill a culture of tourism in young people. During a “Heritage Class”, a tour of the city is conducted for a discovery of the average city and the Upper Town of Antananarivo. A guided tour of a Rova or sacred hill is also organized. In addition, an introduction to hiking in nature and rural areas is also included in the program. The “Heritage Classes” take place over a period of one year following the Malagasy school calendar. This program is supported by the Ministry of National Education through the Directorate of Mass Education and Civics (DEMC).
08:00
TOPOMANAGER
In order to facilitate the processing and real-time monitoring of topographic files within the Circumscriptions, the Directorate of Topographic Services (DST) is developing the TOPOMANAGER software. The use of this software will offer numerous advantages for the public administration and users, namely the rigorous control of each sub-activity through the reconstruction of topographic databases, as well as the possibility for users to track the progress of different stages of their files online. “Thanks to TOPOMANAGER, work will be carried out efficiently and quickly, significantly improving the quality of service offered to users,” emphasizes the DST, which is preparing to enter the simulation phase. Please note that another software, the Géoportail, is also being designed. This digital platform will allow online consultation of land status once the reliable national PLOF (Land Use and Development Plan) is implemented.
10:00
MADAGASCAR – FRANCE
During their meeting yesterday, July 26, the two presidents Andry Rajoelina and Emmanuel Macron discussed bilateral cooperations to be implemented, both for the creation of a center for state action at sea and for the development of innovative transportation infrastructures as well as energy or banking projects, according to a statement from the Elysee. The current crisis in the Great South of Madagascar, plagued by famine, and the solutions that will strengthen the food security of the region were also addressed. On the occasion, the French President affirmed that his country would continue to provide financial support to Madagascar to address this crisis.
12:00
SCHOLARSHIPS
According to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, 123,068 students from public universities in Madagascar are benefiting from scholarships and equipment for the academic year 2023-2024.
15:00
FIGHTING AGAINST FIRES
At the beginning of the fire season, the Initiative for Development, Ecological Restoration and Innovation (INDRI) calls for the concrete implementation of the 12 proposals for the prevention and fighting against forest fires put forward by the Alamino initiative. A solemn intervention by the Head of State on radio and television, urging the population not to burn forests and protected areas, is specifically requested. Furthermore, INDRI calls for the mobilization of armed forces to create firebreaks, strengthen surveillance, and support rapid extinguishing of fires. It also demands zero tolerance regarding protected areas, and the enforcement of sanctions stipulated by law.
16:00
TOLIARA BASE
The Collective for the Defense of Malagasy Land – TANY estimates that a potential reopening of the Toliara Base project will not bring “economic independence” to the Atsimo Andrefana region. For various reasons, regions where mining operations have been carried out in Madagascar for over ten years do not enjoy economic independence or autonomy, points out this collective. “In the world, no country described as developing, which does not have a bold public policy, competent national human resources, or the technical means necessary to profit from its mineral resources for the benefit of the country and its entire population, has become economically independent through the exploitation of its mineral wealth. Analysts in the field rather speak of the resource curse,” says the TANY Collective. The latter adds that the potential creation of a small number of jobs by a mining company, which would solve a small part of the significant problem of youth unemployment, should not be at the expense of the health of all neighboring communities. According to the TANY Collective, the Toliara Base project must be definitively closed as demanded by the majority of affected communities who carried out a large march last March through the municipalities of Toliara II.
17:00
CHILD LABOR
The national celebration of World Day Against Child Labor took place on July 26th in the Atsinanana Region. The celebration was notably marked by the signing, by all stakeholders, of the commitment to combat child labor through social dialogue in the Atsinanana region. According to the results of the national survey on the socio-demographic situation of households (MICS6 – 2018), child labor and its detrimental effects remain widespread in Madagascar, where nearly one in two children aged 5 to 17 is involved in the world of work (47%), despite the legislation in force for the elimination of all forms of child labor. It should be noted that child labor affects boys (50%) more than girls (44%). Among children who do not attend school, more than half are engaged in the world of work. On the occasion of the celebration of World Day Against Child Labor, the International Labour Organization (ILO) country office in Madagascar calls for the protection of children and respect for their rights to play, go to school, and fully enjoy their childhood.
