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Sub-Saharan Africa
Madagascar is Africa's largest island state and the fourth largest island in the world. It drifted away from the African mainland one hundred million years ago. Its isolated situation has allowed a rich diversity of flora and fauna to develop. Many species are endemic, that is, they only occur in Madagascar – and many have yet to be discovered. But large parts of this natural paradise have already been destroyed as a result of human intervention. Whereas the island was once almost entirely covered by rain forest, now only a fraction of it survives.
Decades of mismanagement and poor governance have driven Madagascar to the brink of ruin. Today the country is one of the least developed countries in the world. Per capita income is well below the average for sub-Saharan Africa. In March 2009, State Secretary Erich Stather announced that German development cooperation with Madagascar at intergovernmental level would be suspended for the time being; this decision was taken in response to the change of government that had taken place without any democratic legitimacy. Currently, Germany is not making any financial commitments. Ongoing measures which directly benefit the population are being continued for now.
Conserving Madagascar’s species-rich rain forests is a matter of global ecological significance. At the same time, the sustainable use of natural resources benefits agriculture, on which the people depend for their livelihood. Since successful poverty reduction is only possible if resources are protected, development cooperation between Germany and Madagascar has focused on the environmental sector. This cooperation is continuing. However, given the difficult political situation, currently only environmental measures that have no links to the interim government are being carried out. The German government is keeping a careful eye on the situation.
German Embassy

German Embassy in Antananarivo
101, Làlana Pastora Rabeony Hans,
Ambodirotra, B.P. 516
101 – Antananarivo
Phone:
+261 / 20 / 22 238 02
Fax:
+261 / 20 / 22 266 27






