Meeting between Sergueï Lavrov and Alice N'Diaye in Moscow on Friday, June 19, 2026. Madagascar is accelerating its rapprochement with Moscow. Economic promises, military donations, geopolitical gamble: the country's military leaders are betting heavily on Vladimir Putin's support. The rapprochement between Antananarivo and Moscow is advancing rapidly. As the new authorities multiply signals of openness toward Vladimir Putin's Russia, a special economic zone (SEZ) project, jointly carried out by the two countries, is now entering a concrete phase. At the same time, the head of state, Michaël Randrianirina, is announced for the next Russia-Africa summit scheduled for October in Moscow, confirming the new regime's willingness to strengthen its ties with the Kremlin. Last Thursday, June 17, Malagasy and Russian technicians held their first online conference, dedicated to implementing a future special economic zone in Madagascar. This working meeting aims to signal the project's transition from intentions to operational preparations. According to the information provided, discussions focused on the legal, organizational, and technical aspects necessary for creating this zone. A region in northern Madagascar has already been identified as a priority area. The choice is not insignificant. According to information released by the Russian communication agency in Antananarivo, African Initiative, "the site has a deep-water port, more than 480 hectares of available land, and infrastructure offering prospects for industrial, logistics, and energy development." The future installation of an oil terminal is also among the options being considered. The two parties agreed to continue their work to precisely define the boundaries of the future SEZ and develop the legal framework governing its operation. A meeting of legal experts is expected in the coming weeks. October 2026 Beyond the economic aspect, this initiative mainly illustrates the rapid intensification of political relations between Antananarivo and Moscow since the arrival of the new Malagasy leadership team in October 2025. The momentum was confirmed on June 19 in Moscow during the meeting between Malagasy Foreign Minister Alice N'Diaye and her Russian counterpart, Sergueï Lavrov. Following this discussion, Russia's chief diplomat announced that the Malagasy minister had confirmed Michaël Randrianirina's participation in the third Russia-Africa summit scheduled for next October in the Russian capital. For Moscow, this presence constitutes a strong political signal, as Russia seeks to consolidate its influence on the African continent against Western powers and China. Alice N'Diaye and Sergueï Lavrov, according to official Russian information, also displayed convergence of views on several international issues. According to the Russian embassy, "Antananarivo and Moscow share a favorable vision for the emergence of a multipolar world order based on principles of sovereignty and equality between states." This growing proximity to Russia is part of a strategy to diversify international partnerships defended by the new Malagasy authorities. For Antananarivo, the objective is to find new investors, attract capital, and reduce historical dependence on traditional Western partners. However, this choice also raises questions. While Russia remains a major military and diplomatic power, its economic weight remains limited on a global scale, compared to that of the European Union, the United States, or China. In this context, some observers question the relevance for Madagascar of betting heavily on a partner whose financial capacities abroad remain constrained. The success of the future special economic zone will depend less on political declarations than on the real capacity to mobilize investments, create sustainable jobs, and develop competitive infrastructure.