SECOND MALAGASY CABINET RESHUFFLE IN 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 001103

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SENSITIVE
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DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, DRL, INR/B AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR PBIO MA
SUBJECT: SECOND MALAGASY CABINET RESHUFFLE IN 2007

REF: A) ANTANANARIVO 1063 AND PREVIOUS

B) ANTANANARIVO 84

ANTANANARI 00001103 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) SUMMARY: President Marc Ravalomanana's October 27 cabinet
reshuffle, the second of his current term in office, had few
significant changes but portends some improvement in overall
governance. Only three of the 19 Cabinet members are new to the
government. Seven former ministers were dropped from the list, two
of whom will serve in the National Assembly (REF A). The new
cabinet is slightly smaller, as several ministries were regrouped.
The major surprise was the President designating a woman (and a
civilian) as Minister of Defense. His priorities for the new
Cabinet include: tripling food production; renewing public faith in
a "clean" judiciary; and strengthening public security. END
SUMMARY.

THE NEW LINE-UP
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2. (U) Of the 19 Cabinet members designated on October 27, only
three are new to the government. Seven members were completely
dropped from the list (the former Ministers of Defense, Justice,
Sports, Environment, and Mining, the Vice-Minister of Agriculture,
and the State Secretary of Culture),while there were four
significant personnel shifts. The Ministers of Education and
Finance swapped positions, while the former Minister of Energy
received a face-saving demotion to lead the regrouped Ministry of
Sports, Culture and Leisure. The former Vice-Minister of Education
is now the Minister of Defense - the first woman ever (and the
second civilian) to hold this position. The former Minister of
Economy, Commerce, Planning, and Private Sector moved over to head
the regrouped Ministry of Environment, Forestry, Water, and Tourism.
The Ministries of Energy and Mining, separated in the January
cabinet shuffle, remerged as one single entity, as did the
Ministries of Sports, Culture and Leisure. In a break with
tradition that will surely engender political blowback, 17 of the 19
members hail from around the capital, with the other two coming from
Diego Suarez in the north; none of the 20 other regions are
represented in the new cabinet. Three of the cabinet members are
now women, no change from the old government.


3. (U) The new line-up is as follows:

a) Concurrently Prime Minister and Minister of Interior General
Charles Rabemananjara (Retained);

b) Minister of Decentralization and Territorial Distribution Yvan
Randriasandratriniony (Retained. This is the only ministry that
reports directly to the President; all others report to the Prime
Minister.);

c) Minister of Foreign Affairs General Marcel Ranjeva (Retained);

d) Minister of National Defense Cecile Marie Ange Manorohanta
(Formerly Vice-Minister of Education);

e) Minister of Justice Bakolalao Ramanandraibe Ranaivoharivony
(New);

f) Minister of Agriculture, Breeding and Fishing Marius
Ratolojanahary (Retained);

g) Minister of National Education and Scientific Research Benjamin
Radavidson Andriamparany (Formerly Minister of Finance and Budget);

h) Minister of Public Works and Meteorology Roland Randriamampionona
(Retained);

i) Minister of Health and Family Planning Jean Louis Robinson
(Retained);

j) Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ivohasina Razafimahefa
(New);

k) Minister of Finance and Budget Haja Nirina Razafinjatovo
(Formerly Minister of National Education and Scientific Research);

l) Minister of Environment, Water, Forest and Tourism Harison Edmond
Randriarimanana (Formerly Minister of Economy, Commerce, Planning
and Private Sector);

m) Minister of Energy and Mining Elise Razaka (New);

n) Minister of Civil Services, Labor and Social Law Jacky Mahafaly
Tsiandopy (Retained);

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o) Minister of Telecommunications, Post, and Communications Bruno
Ramaroson Andriatavison (Retained);

p) Minister of Transport Julien Ravelonarivo Laporte (Retained, but
lost Tourism portfolio);

q) Minister of Sports, Culture and Hobbies Patrick Ramiaramanana
(Formerly Minister of Energy);

r) Vice-Minister of Health Marie Perline Rahatanirina (Retained);

s) State Secretary for Public Security Desire Rasolofomanana
(Retained).

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW
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4. (U) Of the six ministers in the former cabinet who won seats in
the September National Assembly elections, four returned to keep
their cabinet positions. Back-up candidates will take over their
seats in the Assembly. The former Ministers of Mining and
Environment will serve in the National Assembly from now on.


5. (U) The first of the three new players, Ivohasina Razafimahefa,
34 years old, left his position as Secretary General of the
Madagascar Action Plan (MAP) in the President's Office to be the new
Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry. One of the Embassy's best
contacts at the Presidency, he speaks fluent French, English and
Japanese. Bakolalao Ramanandraibe Ranaivoharivony, the new Minister
of Justice, was most recently the President of the Committee for the
Safeguard of Integrity (CSI),the policy arm of the government's
anti-corruption agency BIANCO. The Minister of Energy and Mining in
President Ravalomanana's first cabinet in 2002, Elise Razaka returns
to hold the same position. He was most recently the Director
General of OMNIS, the petroleum parastatal and regulatory body.

THE PRESIDENT SETS PRIORITIES
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6. (U) The President outlined three priorities in the first Cabinet
meeting following the reshuffle: tripling food production, renewing
the faith of the public, investors and donors in a "clean"
judiciary, and strengthening public security. In a symbolic move to
hold ministries more accountable, each minister had to sign a
commitment to accomplish their new job descriptions.


7. (U) In comments to the press following the reshuffle, President
Ravalomanana claimed his decisions were based on a long-term vision
for the country. Eschewing the normal considerations of regional
balance, family/friend connections, and "fihavanana" (the Malagasy
concept of harmony and consensus),he said he based his choices on
competence and results. Calling his designation of a female
Minister of Defense an example of Madagascar's need to modernize, he
dared the ministers to accept public criticism and take action to
bring about real change. He reassured those ministers dropped from
the cabinet not to worry; he will find jobs for them somewhere in
government.


8. (SBU) COMMENT: In radio call-in shows, some members of the
public questioned why the President emphasizes change in every
public discourse, but left his cabinet largely untouched. While the
changes were minimal, Post sees the incremental designation of
competent ministers falling under the overall theme set by the
President for his second term: "results, results, results." Indeed,
we also see those dismissed or demoted - at Environment, Justice,
Mines, and Energy - as the weakest links of the previous government,
and see the new Finance Minister as an improvement. The reshuffle
met with little public reaction, save commentary on the
controversial designation of the first female Minister of Defense.
Some observers hope a civilian leader will finally clean up the
rampant corruption in the Ministry of Defense and lack of discipline
among the armed forces, while others worry a woman will be incapable
of handling a "man's" portfolio. One contact observed Manorohanta
may have an advantage in being unbiased with regard to the frequent
rivalry between the Army and the Gendarmes, given she came from
neither service. END COMMENT.

MARQUARDT