Madagascar continues to strengthen its ties with Russia. During an official visit to Moscow, Foreign Minister Alice N'Diaye reinforced this dynamic by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University), one of Russia's leading diplomatic training institutions. The agreement, concluded between the Malagasy Foreign Ministry and the Moscow university, aims to "strengthen cooperation in higher education, continuous training and capacity building for Malagasy administration officials." According to Malagasy diplomacy, this partnership reflects the desire to revitalize historical relations between Antananarivo and Moscow, while developing the skills of Malagasy leaders to face growing challenges in international relations. The choice of MGIMO is significant. Founded in 1944, this institution is considered the flagship of Russian diplomatic training. Among its former students is the current Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, a central figure in Kremlin foreign policy for over twenty years. MGIMO has trained several generations of diplomats, international relations experts and senior officials from Russia and countries partnered with the Kremlin. Beyond symbolism, the agreement opens the way for academic exchanges, specialization programs and training for Malagasy officials. A prospect that fits into the international openness strategy pursued by Malagasy authorities. Moreover, this new direction comes as Madagascar already has training partnerships with Western institutions. The Foreign Ministry notably benefits from cooperation with the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) in Paris, which has contributed in recent years to strengthening the capacity of diplomats and department officials. Moscow had also proposed training programs to the Malagasy administration for Malagasy officials in sensitive areas such as information and communication, as well as electoral management. Sectors in which Russian expertise regularly faces criticism in several Western countries and within international organizations, particularly due to controversies surrounding information governance, digital disinformation and electoral processes. The challenge for Antananarivo will now be to benefit from these various cooperation offers without finding itself at the heart of geopolitical rivalries opposing major powers today.