Africa-Press. The European Union’s ambassador to Madagascar, Roland Kubi, stated that democratic countries have greater experience in organizing fair elections, adding, “We are not here to participate in a beauty contest,” referring to the role of international partners in the political process in the country during the celebrations of “Europe Week” that began on May 5.
Kubi confirmed that the European Union remains the largest donor to Madagascar, explaining that about 90% of aid, investments, and trade come from democratic countries. He noted that European cooperation includes sectors such as health, education, rural development, and social services.
The ambassador mentioned that Madagascar has the right to diversify its partners amid increasing closeness with Russia. However, he emphasized that this closeness raises questions among some parties, especially following the visit of the head of the electoral commission in Madagascar to Moscow in April to discuss cooperation in the transmission of election results, which raised concerns among civil society organizations regarding potential external influence, given previous accusations of Russian interference during the 2018 elections.
Kubi also addressed the issue of the arrest of several activists from the “Generation Z” movement, who emerged during the political movement that preceded the rise of Colonel Randrianirina to power in late 2025, noting that some have been detained since April on charges related to “endangering state security” following peaceful protests.
The ambassador affirmed that the European Union was among the first entities to call for the protection of youth and the opening of dialogue during previous events, expressing hope for a “positive solution” that ensures the situation of the detainees is addressed, and concluded by stressing the importance of listening to the youth and considering their perspectives in the current phase.
