Madagascar

Country Context

Madagascar has gone through a series of convulsive political transitions since independence from France in 1960. In 2009, one such transition plunged the country into an intense political crisis with clashes taking place between the supporters of President Marc Ravalomanana and those of Andry Rajoelina, then mayor of the Malagasy capital. Rajoelina ultimately led a takeover of the government and his administration, unelected, remains unrecognized by most of the international community.   Seeking to reach a peaceful resolution, political representatives, including Rajoelina, signed a "Roadmap to Democratic Elections" on September 17, 2011. Tensions, however, remain as a date for elections remains elusive and the now-exiled Ravalomanana is prevented from returning.

These ongoing political divisions have caused a breakdown in the once-strong cultural bonds of tolerance and respect that united Malagasy communities. The country is also facing an economic crisis with thousands of jobs lost and the standard of living in decline since the onset of conflict.  Due to the crisis, media outlets have taken highly politicized editorial lines and are now no longer considered a credible source of information by many Malagasies. This has created an environment of suspicion and misinformation where rumors are put forward as fact, both by the public and the press.

SFCG has decades of experience working in sub-Saharan African environments where conflict-sensitive media has introduced new paradigms of dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and democratic engagement. In 2011, we established an office in Antananarivo with the goal of creating a space for local media outlets to discover how they can help reduce tensions in the country and help prepare the people for future elections.

Where We Work