A new face takes charge of French security cooperation in Madagascar. Colonel Olivier Guillon has officially assumed his duties as Internal Security Attaché (ASI) in Antananarivo and has already begun his rounds of contact with Malagasy authorities. His arrival comes in a diplomatic context still marked by the expulsion of his predecessor, Pierre Couve, four months ago. Last Wednesday, the new ASI was received by the Minister of Justice. He was accompanied by Divisional Commander Frédéric Lartigau and First Counselor at the French Embassy, Julien Buissart. This courtesy visit is part of ongoing exchanges between the two countries on security and judicial cooperation matters. Before this meeting, Colonel Olivier Guillon had also been received by the Minister of Internal Security, Eric Idrissa, marking the official beginning of his exchanges with Madagascar's main security officials. This appointment carries particular significance. Colonel Guillon succeeds Pierre Couve, whose expulsion in April 2026 had triggered a period of high tensions between Antananarivo and Paris. The Malagasy authorities had taken a rare decision against a French diplomat. At the time, Madagascar's Foreign Affairs Ministry justified this measure by results of "investigations concerning destabilization acts involving both Malagasy and foreign nationals." An official explanation that fueled speculation about the state of relations between the two countries. Colonel Olivier Guillon's installation thus appears as a new step in normalizing exchanges between Madagascar and France on security matters.