The Eparses Islands were at the heart of the first subjects mentioned by the new Foreign Minister, Richard Randriamanandrato, when he passed the service with Patrick Rajoelina this weekend."The Epars Islands are for us.There is no longer any place to haggle because they belong to us, "he said."What to do currently is to find an operating mode to get there," he answers questions from journalists on the subject.A subject that was somewhat forgotten following the health crisis.
The operating mode that the new Malagasy diplomacy chief tries to lead and announce does not seem to be different from what has been already in work for several years."The main argument remains for us (the application of: Editor's note) the United Nations resolution," he said.This resolution consists in demanding from France to "restore these islands in Madagascar".
The initiative of Andry Rajoelina, and of the French Head of State, Emmanuel Macron, to set up a mixed committee which should study the possibilities of restitution or even co -management of these islands has been considered one of the advances in thiscase.Yet to date, no continuation has been given to the work of this mixed commission since its first meeting in November 2019.Three years later, we are at the same point.
Richard Randriamandranto thinks that with the world political situation, the war in Ukraine could change the course of geopolitics in the world.The fight led by the Big Island in this case could take a new turn, he says."The current diplomatic weather is changing because of the war in Ukraine", this could then affect negotiations concerning the Eparses Islands, especially since Madagascar did not adopt the same resolution as Western countries including France concerning theRussian condemnation in this invasion adds Richard Randriamandranto.
