Madagascar’s leader fails to meet Obama

Madagascar President Hery Rajaonarimampianina has ended his visit in the United States without meeting President Barack Obama.

Mr Rajaonarimampianina met three times with different high-placed officials of the US administration.

He was received by deputy State Secretary in charge of the African Affairs, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, at the State Department Thursday.

“Such a reunion indicated the return to the normalisation of the relations between Antananarivo and Washington,” information sent to newsrooms said.

Before the State Department talks, Mr Rajaonarimampianina had talks at his hotel with Mr Grant Harris, who was the representative of Ms Susan Rice, National Security adviser.

The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, could be understood as having the endorsement of the White House.

Mr Harris is a personal assistant to President Obama and the director for the African Affairs at the US National Security Department.

Madagascar has always been regarded as strategic point to better control terrorism in the south-western Indian Ocean basin.

On Monday, Mr Rajaonarimampianina met US envoy to the United Nations, Ms Samantha Power, who is also an adviser to President Obama.

Ms Power said a new US resident envoy to Antananarivo would be nominated. The White House suspended the nomination of its ambassador in Madagascar following the 2009 military-backed coup.

OPTMISTIC

President Rajaonarimampiana remained optimistic despite the failure to meet Mr Obama. He said: “I think that the fact the US authorities agreed with our stay in America was already a sign of their conviction.” According to him, President Obama has constantly paid attention to the island nation’s situation.

“All the US officials I met told me that they monitored the developments in Madagascar and he stood ready to help the Malagasy people, the nation and its authorities to develop the country inasmuch to fight poverty,” he said.

The US personalities met by Madagascar’s leader underlined the current tenant of the White House has closely followed the evolution of the democracy on the island nation.

“He has closely monitored the readiness of the (Malagasy) authorities to let the democracy flourish in our country,” he said.

Besides, President Rajaonarimampianina was thirsty of much more assistance from the US.

“There are so many existing co-operations we could carry out with them. They even need to be strengthened,” he stressed.