French President Emmanuel Macron and Madagascar's interim leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, held talks and agreed to "renew" ties on Tuesday, despite steps taken by the former French colony to draw closer to Russia.
Randrianirina has stepped on to the diplomatic stage with a brisk series of high-level visits – arriving in France just days after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The trip to Paris signals a delicate balancing act as the Indian Ocean nation seeks to broaden its international partnerships, while navigating intensifying geopolitical interest.
Randrianirina – who took power after former president Andry Rajoelina fled amid demonstrations in October – is piloting a transitional government at a time when several former French colonies in Africa have experienced military takeovers.
Since 2020, coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have reshaped alliances in the Sahel, with those governments drawing closer to Russia – a trend that has not gone unnoticed by Western diplomats.
In Madagascar, concerns have been raised about what one Western diplomatic source described as the speed with which Russia has moved to build ties with the new leadership.
Moscow has already supplied military equipment and dispatched instructors to train Malagasy forces, including in the use of drones.
Yet officials on both sides insist that Antaninarivo's outreach is broader than any single partnership. Speaking before his departure for Paris, Randrianirina stressed that his visits to Russia and France were unrelated, framing them instead as part of a pragmatic foreign policy aimed at securing tangible benefits for the Malagasy people.
Madagascar military leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina sworn in as president
France seeks to renew ties
In Paris, Macron welcomed the interim leader with a clear message – France intends to remain a key partner.
In a joint statement, the two sides outlined a “renewed, balanced and resolutely forward-looking partnership” grounded in mutual respect and focused on delivering concrete results.
They approved a set of guidelines for cooperation over the next two years – aligning with Madagascar’s transition timeline – covering political relations, economic development and ongoing security and defence collaboration.
Macron also reiterated France’s support for a return to constitutional order, emphasising the importance of holding free and transparent elections within the agreed timeframe.
Madagascar’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean – and its reserves of valuable minerals such as nickel and cobalt – make it an increasingly important partner. With China, India and Russia all stepping up their presence, maintaining influence on the island has become a priority for French diplomacy.
How Madagascar's new leader Randrianirina rose from prison to presidency
A legacy of links with Moscow
Madagascar’s warming relations with Russia are not without precedent. According to Samuel Sanchez, a professor at the Sorbonne University, ties between Madagascar and the Soviet bloc date back to the 1970s, when significant diplomatic and military cooperation took shape.
Many Malagasy officers trained in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during that period, a legacy that resonates today. Recent developments suggest a revival of those connections, with Russian instructors visiting the island and senior intelligence figure Andrei Averyanov accompanying Randrianirina during his Moscow talks.
The Kremlin has shown particular eagerness to deepen the partnership. During his visit, Randrianirina told Putin that Madagascar was ready to move relations to a new level, signalling openness to expanded cooperation.
At the same time, the interim leader has cast his diplomatic net widely. Russia was the third country he has visited since taking power, following trips to the United Arab Emirates and South Africa – a sign that Antananarivo is seeking multiple avenues for investment and support.
(with newswires)
