Seychelles welcomes revised decision of Madagascar Special Electoral Court |19 August 2013

The Seychelles delegation at the SADC summit of heads of state and government in Lilongwe, Malawi, has hailed the revised decision of the Madagascar Special Electoral Court to invalidate the candidatures that were contested by the international community as a “vital step forward that paves the way for elections”.

In his earlier intervention at the summit, Vice-President Danny Faure, who is representing President James Michel in Lilongwe, had stressed the importance of urging all parties to respect the 7-point plan which was endorsed by the African Union (AU) and SADC (Southern African Development Community) and to ensure that elections were organised before the end of the year.

"We are pleased that this decision of the court means that the Malagasy authorities, and the international community, can prepare for elections that are needed urgently to end this crisis which continues to undermine the prosperity of the Malagasy people. We are pleased also that the spirit of creating a new beginning for Madagascar which was tabled during the SADC mediation held in Seychelles in 2012 has remained at the heart of a sustainable political solution for our sister island,"  the vice-president added.

Vice-President Faure has also congratulated the President of the Transition, Andry Rajoelina, for facilitating the atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation that allowed the reconstitution of the Special Electoral Court and for it to take its decision outside of political interference.  

At the summit the Seychelles delegation has also congratulated the mediation efforts of former President Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique, assisted by Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra.  

The vice-president also saluted the leadership of President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania for his efforts as chairman of the SADC Troika on Politics, Peace and Security, to ensure that SADC's efforts were followed through.

The decision of the Court, announced in the evening of Saturday August 17, means that the 7-point plan remains on track to allow the holding of elections.

The decision means that current President of the Transition, Andry Rajoelina, would not be able to stand for the elections as his candidature was received after the deadline.  In addition, Lalao Ravalomanana, spouse of former President Ravalomanana, and former President Didier Ratsiraka would also not be able to take part as they both did not meet the criteria of being resident in Madagascar six months before the elections.

Vice-President Danny Faure is accompanied at the summit by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Paul Adam, and Ambassador Claude Morel, Seychelles’ permanent representative to SADC, and currently the head of the Indian Ocean Commission liaison office in Antananarivo established to facilitate the organisation of the election.