For ten days, actors in Malagasy diplomacy will focus on the major orientations of foreign policy. The stated objective is to define a strategic vision to guide the country's external actions over the coming decades.
What diplomacy for Madagascar tomorrow? This question will be at the heart of the National Assembly of Malagasy Diplomacy, to be held from September 7 to 17 at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Anosy. Ten days of reflection and discussion aimed at "participatively building the strategic orientations to guide Madagascar's foreign policy for the coming decades."
Work begins today with the first roundtable devoted to "Madagascar's strategic vision and international positioning." It should set the tone for a cycle of discussions whose reflections and conclusions will feed into the development of a White Paper on Malagasy foreign policy. The second roundtable will focus on economic diplomacy, sustainable development, and international attractiveness.
On September 9, debates will address territorial diplomacy, the diaspora, culture, science, and international influence. The following day, discussions will turn to sovereignty, national security, and international governance. The final roundtable on September 11 will address the modernization of Malagasy diplomacy in the face of global geopolitical upheaval. The Assembly will officially close on September 17.
As explained by an international relations researcher, it will be necessary to define "the vision and appropriate diplomatic line to preserve national strategic and sovereign interests against those of international partners, in an increasingly complex international context and a changing world." There is also the emergence of sovereigntist discourse and ideas in the country.
The desire to defend national interests and strengthen the country's autonomy is increasingly affirmed in the Great Island. However, this aspiration clashes with economic reality. Madagascar remains heavily dependent on external financing and development aid. As a result, traditional partners remain essential to support vital sectors and maintain budgetary balance.
Sustainable Strategy
"Future diplomatic positioning must thus avoid a binary choice," explains the researcher-teacher