True to its word, the African Union (AU) has announced the imposition of sanctions against Madagascar’s “de facto authorities” – exactly a year after Andry Rajoelina, backed by the military, ousted (væltede) former President Marc Ravalomanana.
The AU set a deadline in February, and warned that it would target Rajoelina’s government – known as the Higher Transitional Authority – if it failed to implement an agreed power-sharing deal that would create a transitional coalition (overgangsregering) with Madagascar’s four rival political parties.
“Starting from 17 March 2010”, the bloc would impose “a travel ban against all members of the institutions set up by the de facto authorities born out of the unconstitutional change [of government], and all other individual members of the Rajoelina camp whose actions impede the AU and SADC [Southern African Development Community] efforts to restore constitutional order,” said an AU Peace and Security Council communiqué.
The AU said it would also freeze the financial assets of all those “impeding the AU and SADC efforts to restore constitutional order”, and pressed for the further diplomatic isolation of Malagasy authorities in non-African international organizations, such as the UN. The AU and the SADC both suspended Madagascar’s membership in 2009.
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