Madagascar–United States relations

In this article we will explore the topic of Madagascar–United States relations in depth, analyzing its different facets and its relevance today. Madagascar–United States relations is a topic that has captured the attention of experts and society in general, generating passionate debates and arousing great interest. Throughout this article, we will examine its impact in different areas, its implications at a global and local level, as well as the possible solutions and challenges it poses. With a critical and reflective perspective, we seek to provide a comprehensive vision of Madagascar–United States relations, offering our readers an informed and enriching perspective on this topic of current relevance.

Madagascar – United States relations
Map indicating locations of Madagascar and USA

Madagascar
United States
Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina with US President Joe Biden on 14 December 2022

Madagascar – United States relations are bilateral relations between Madagascar and the United States.

History

Relations between the United States and Madagascar date to the middle of the 19th century, when the United States was Madagascar's largest trade partner. The two countries concluded a commercial convention in 1867 and a treaty of peace, friendship, and commerce in 1881.[1][2] At the time, Madagascar was largely controlled by the Merina Kingdom, based in the country's central highlands. In 1886, the U.S. sent its first Commercial Agent to Madagascar (John P. Finkelmeier),[3] and in 1875 its first Consul (William W. Robinson).[4] Both were based in the port of Tamatave (now Toamasina).

In the years between the First Franco-Hova War and the annexation of Madagascar by France, a series of U.S. Consuls in the country supported the rights of the Merina government against French colonial claims, notably by receiving exequatur from the Merina rather than the French, as the French insisted they should. This culminated in the 1895 arrest of former U.S. Consul John Louis Waller, who had been granted a large tract of land by the Merina government (who refused to make such grants to the French). Waller was taken to metropolitan France and sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly conspiring with Merina radicals. The incident was only resolved when U.S. President Grover Cleveland secured his release by threatening to sever diplomatic ties between the U.S. and France.[5] Additionally, in 1882-1883 a Malagasy diplomatic delegation visited the U.S. in order to gain support against French designs on the island. They visited Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Salem, addressing not only government officials but merchants who had substantial trade interests in Madagascar.[3]

After France officially annexed Madagascar in 1896, French treaties with the U.S. superseded all previous treaties that the U.S. had signed with the Merina Kingdom. In 1916, the U.S. relocated its consulate from the port of Tamatave to the highland capital Tananarive (Antananarivo).

The Malagasy Republic became independent from France on June 26, 1960, and the U.S. Consulate in Madagascar was upgraded to an Embassy on the same day. The first Ambassador to Madagascar was accredited on October 5, 1960 (Frederic Pearson Bartlett). On December 5, 1960, the Malagasy Embassy to the U.S. opened in Washington D.C., and the first Malagasy Ambassador to the U.S. was accredited (Louis Rakotomalala). All U.S. treaties with France would remain in effect with Madagascar unless otherwise indicated.

In 1964 the U.S. constructed a NASA satellite tracking station in northwestern Madagascar (Majunga), which would later be moved to Antananarivo.[6] Also in that year, Malagasy President Philibert Tsiranana visited the U.S. on a two-week tour, and received an official state welcome on the White House South Lawn.

Traditionally warm relations suffered considerably following the 1972 and 1975 coups, when Madagascar expelled the U.S. ambassador, closed the NASA tracking station, pursued closer relationships with the USSR, Cuba, and North Korea, and nationalized two U.S. oil companies.[7] In 1980, relations at the ambassadorial level were restored.

A Peace Corps program was established on the island in 1992. Madagascar qualified for AGOA trade benefits in 2000. Madagascar became the first country with a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact when it signed an agreement worth $110 million in April 2005.[8] The Ravalomanana government was especially positive about ties with the United States.

The fall of President Ravalomanana in 2009 and the subsequent Transition regime strained those relations. Madagascar could not benefit from much US or international aid any more, nor qualify for free trade agreements such as AGOA.

In 2013, a new president and a new national assembly were elected with the support of the international community. International aid resumed, and Madagascar was again eligible for AGOA trade benefits. However, the damage to its main export industry (textiles) was already done. However, in June 2015, a new degradation of the political climate in Antananarivo prompted the U.S. State Department to voice its concern and call for a 'national dialogue' in the country.

In 2020 the Peace Corps suspended operations in Madagascar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] In August 2022, Peace Corps volunteers returned to Madagascar.[10]

USAID in Madagascar

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a government agency of United States in charge of economic development and humanitarian assistance in the world. In 1984, USAID opened a field office in Madagascar[11]. In 1990, Madagascar was designated as a priority aid recipient, and assistance increased from $15 million in 1989 to $40 million in 1993. In January 2025, USAID's activities in Madagascar were temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days, following a US presidential decree. This decision led to the interruption of several development projects underway in the country[12].

Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development

USAID has been a major contributor to Madagascar’s National Environmental Action Plans (PNAE) (1993–2008), funding biodiversity conservation, reforestation, and sustainable land management. However, despite these investments, deforestation remains a challenge, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for 2015 were not met, due to governance issues and limited local integration.[13]

USAID-funded conservation projects, particularly in the Ankeniheny-Zahemena Corridor (CAZ), have contributed to reducing deforestation and agricultural fires by promoting community-based forest management and sustainable land use[14]. A 2010 study highlighted similar initiatives such as the Landscape Development Interventions and Eco-Regional Initiatives, which aimed to integrate conservation with sustainable agriculture and land-use planning[15]. While these programs helped reduce slash-and-burn agriculture and supported environmental education initiatives to foster pro-environmental behaviors[16], they faced challenges in scaling up efforts, securing long-term funding, and improving governance.

Marine conservation efforts have also received USAID support, particularly through Marine Protected Areas. However, research highlights that local communities remain marginalized in decision-making, reducing the effectiveness of conservation policies.[17]

Public Health Initiatives

USAID has supported malaria control programs, including the distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and funding for sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine distribution and healthcare training through the President’s Malaria Initiative. However, studies have identified challenges such as expired LLINs being repurposed for unintended uses due to economic constraints[18] and stock-outs of essential drugs, healthcare provider knowledge gaps, and barriers to antenatal care[19]. These findings highlight the need for improved supply chain logistics, training programs, and disposal guidelines to enhance malaria prevention and treatment in Madagascar.

USAID-funded many programs and have worked with the Ministry of Health to improve infant and child nutrition. These initiatives have promoted exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and micronutrient supplementation, leading to measurable improvements in child health between 2000 and 2005.[20]

Economic Development and Governance

USAID contributed to Madagascar’s conservation policies, particularly in the expansion of protected areas under the Durban Vision (2003). The book discusses how international donors and conservation organizations influenced these decisions, which sometimes resulted in limited consultation with local communities. It also highlights that USAID’s conservation funding was primarily guided by biodiversity objectives.[21]

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Washington, D.C.
    Embassy of Madagascar in Washington, D.C.
  • Embassy of the United States in Antananarivo
    Embassy of the United States in Antananarivo

See also

References

  1. ^ "Commerce" (PDF). Library of Congress.
  2. ^ "Peace, Friendship, and Commerce" (PDF). Library of Congress.
  3. ^ a b Downum, Garland (1977). "The Madagascan Mission to the United States in 1883: Diplomacy and Public Relations". The Historian. 39 (3): 472–489. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6563.1977.tb01198.x.
  4. ^ Mosca, Liliana (1995). "The Merina Kingdom in the Late 1870's As Reported in the Despatches of Colonel William W. Robinson U.S. Consul in Madagascar". Omaly Sy Anio. 37–38: 109–140.
  5. ^ Woods, Randall B. (1976). "Blackamerica's Challenge to European Colonialism: The Waller Affair, 1891-1895". Journal of Black Studies. 7: 57–77. doi:10.1177/002193477600700105. S2CID 145251467.
  6. ^ Tsiao, Sunny (2008). "Read You Loud And Clear!": The Story of NASA's Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network. Washington D.C.: NASA History Division. ISBN 978-1502794093.
  7. ^ "Madagascar Reader" (PDF).
  8. ^ "USAID Madagascar History". 14 February 2023. Archived from the original on December 29, 2013.
  9. ^ "Peace Corps- Coronavirus".
  10. ^ Peace Corps Volunteers are back in Madagascar!
  11. ^ "History | U.S. Agency for International Development". 2013-12-29. Archived from the original on 29 December 2013. Retrieved 2025-03-30.
  12. ^ "DÉCRET DE TRUMP - L'USAID suspend ses aides". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2025-03-30.
  13. ^ Waeber, Patrick O.; Wilmé, Lucienne; Mercier, Jean-Roger; Camara, Christian; Ii, Porter P. Lowry (2016-08-17). "How Effective Have Thirty Years of Internationally Driven Conservation and Development Efforts Been in Madagascar?". PLOS ONE. 11 (8): e0161115. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161115. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4988661. PMID 27532499.
  14. ^ Tabor, Karyn; Jones, Kelly W.; Hewson, Jennifer; Rasolohery, Andriambolantsoa; Rambeloson, Andoniaina; Andrianjohaninarivo, Tokihenintsoa; Harvey, Celia A. (2017-12-21). "Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation and development investments in reducing deforestation and fires in Ankeniheny-Zahemena Corridor, Madagascar". PLOS ONE. 12 (12): e0190119. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190119. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5739477. PMID 29267356.
  15. ^ Erdmann, Thomas K. (2010). "Eco-regional conservation and development in Madagascar: a review of USAID-funded efforts in two priority landscapes". Development in Practice. 20 (3): 380–394. doi:10.1080/09614521003709999. ISSN 0961-4524. JSTOR 27806714.
  16. ^ Schüßler, Dominik; Richter, Torsten; Mantilla-Contreras, Jasmin (January 2019). "Educational Approaches to Encourage Pro-Environmental Behaviors in Madagascar". Sustainability. 11 (11): 3148. doi:10.3390/su11113148. ISSN 2071-1050.
  17. ^ Pajaro, Marivic G.; Mulrennan, Monica E.; Vincent, Amanda C. J. (2010-12-01). "Toward an integrated marine protected areas policy: connecting the global to the local". Environment, Development and Sustainability. 12 (6): 945–965. doi:10.1007/s10668-010-9233-0. ISSN 1573-2975.
  18. ^ Ramanantsoa, Ambinina; Wilson-Barthes, Marta; Rahenintsoa, Rindra; Hoibak, Sarah; Ranaivoharimina, Harilala; Rahelimalala, Martha Delphine; Rakotomanga, Avotiana; Finlay, Alyssa; Muela Ribera, Joan; Peeters Grietens, Koen (2017-10-10). "Can the collection of expired long-lasting insecticidal nets reduce their coverage and use? Sociocultural aspects related to LLIN life cycle management and use in four districts in Madagascar". Malaria Journal. 16 (1): 404. doi:10.1186/s12936-017-2053-z. ISSN 1475-2875. PMC 5634957. PMID 29017531.
  19. ^ Malpass, Ashley; Hansen, Natasha; Dentinger, Catherine M.; Youll, Susan; Cotte, Annett; Mattern, Chiarella; Ravaoarinosy, Aimée (2023-02-20). "Status of malaria in pregnancy services in Madagascar 2010–2021: a scoping review". Malaria Journal. 22 (1): 59. doi:10.1186/s12936-023-04497-3. ISSN 1475-2875. PMC 9940392. PMID 36803987.
  20. ^ Lutter, Chessa K; Iannotti, Lora; Creed-Kanashiro, Hilary; Guyon, Agnes; Daelmans, Bernadette; Robert, Rebecca; Haider, Rukhsana (2013). "Key principles to improve programmes and interventions in complementary feeding". Maternal & Child Nutrition. 9 (S2): 101–115. doi:10.1111/mcn.12087. ISSN 1740-8709. PMC 6860916. PMID 24074321.
  21. ^ Baker-Médard, Merrill (2017-08-01). "Corridors of Power: The Politics of Environmental Aid to Madagascar". Global Environmental Politics. 17 (3): 147–149. doi:10.1162/GLEP_r_00421. ISSN 1526-3800.
  22. ^ Embassy of Madagascar in Washington, D.C.
  23. ^ Embassy of the United States in Antananarivo

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.

L'Express de Madagascar (in French)