GENERAL NAMED PRIME MINISTER OF MADAGASCAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000078 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AND INR/B PARIS FOR D'ELIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINR PGOV MA SUBJECT: GENERAL NAMED PRIME MINISTER OF MADAGASCAR ANTANANARI 00000078 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On January 20 President Marc Ravalomanana appointed former Minister of Interior Lt-General Charles Rabemananjara as his new Prime Minister, to replace outgoing Prime Minister Jacques Sylla. Rabemananjara now has the task of forming a new Cabinet in consultation with the President. Biographic information follows in Paragraphs 6-8. END SUMMARY. SURPRISE APPOINTMENT WELL-RECEIVED - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) Ravalomanana's pick for Prime Minister came as a surprise to most political observers due to its deviation from the long-standing political practice of balancing regional and religious origins in the country's top leadership. Both the President and the new Prime Minister hail from the Merina tribe of the central high plateau region and belong to the Church of Jesus Christ (FJKM, of which President Ravalomanana is currently the Vice-President). However, the President had been preparing both political and public opinion for this change through both his New Year's address to the nation ("What's important is to score a goal and win, and the origin of the player does not matter.") and his January 19 inaugural address ("Results, results, results. The origin of the players doesn't matter."). Ravalomanana's decision reflects his pleasure with Rabemananjara's management of the recent presidential election despite administrative difficulties with the new electronic voter list and, consistent with the President's emphasis on discipline and results, he rewarded the General's performance accordingly. ¶3. (U) Initial reactions to Rabemananjara's appointment have been mostly positive. Politicians close to the President (particularly President of the TIM political party Solofonantenaina Razoarimihaja and Presidential Advisor Moxe Ramandimbilahatra) believe the General will be effective; he has the President's trust and a proven track record in achieving results. A number of opposition leaders (such as AREMA party Senators Raphael Rakotozandridrainy and Jeannot Raberson and recent presidential candidate Herizo Razafimahaleo) agreed that, with his previous experience, the General can effectively address rural security and the organization of future elections. Senator Raberson applauded the President's nomination of "an open man, who knows how to talk to everyone and is a man of dialogue." Civil society representative Madeleine Ramaholimihaso (a member of the Consortium of National Election Observers funded by the USG in the recent election) similarly qualified the General as an "open" person who is easy to work with, although she expressed reservations about a military officer playing such an influential role in the administration. Independent Senator Jean Andre Soja from Fort Dauphin urged his coastal compatriots not to prioritize the "cause cotihre" (the coastal cause) in seeking Cabinet positions, but to look for a team capable of accelerating Madagascar's development regardless of regional origin. COMMENT - - - - ¶4. (SBU) Post has had regular positive contact with Lt-General Rabemananjara over the past several years and expects our good working relationship to continue in his new capacity as Prime Minister. At Post's invitation, Rabemananjara attended Pacific Endeavor as a Distinguished Visitor in September 2005 and the Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) for peacekeeping. More recently, as Minister of Interior, Rabemananjara was a guest speaker on the Embassy's national radio program on civic education in November 2006. ¶5. (SBU) Despite initial positive reactions to the President's announcement, Post expects strong criticism from opposition hardliners on the appointment of a Merina Prime Minister in the coming days and weeks. It will be difficult to assess the new administration's overall effectiveness until Rabemananajara announces his new Cabinet members later this week, but President Ravalomanana is wasting no time in pursuing his inauguration day pledge to achieve "Results, results, results." END COMMENT. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (U) Charles Rabemananjara was born on June 9, 1947 in Ampatsakana, Antananarivo. Son of Rabemananjara and Juliette Rasendrasoa, he is married with four children. Starting in 1970, Rabemananjara climbed the military ranks to become a Lieutenant-General on July 1, 2005. He speaks Malagasy, English, ANTANANARI 00000078 002.2 OF 002 and French fluently. ¶7. (U) Education: Lt-General Rabemananjara started his military education at the Military Academy of Antsirabe in 1967, where he received his Paratrooper Certificate and graduated in 1970 as Second-Lieutenant. He holds the following diplomas: Administration and Management from the College of Material Management in Bourges, France; Information System Management; Technical Action Method from the Computer College of Rennes, France; Diploma from the Institute of High Studies of National Defense; and Diploma for Major Crisis Management, Negotiations and Mediations from University of Louisiana (no dates provided in his official biography). ¶8. (U) Assignments/Appointments: - National Gendarmerie Staff: August 17, 1970; - Moramanga Gendarmerie College (specialization course): August 1, 1971; - Deputy Commanding Officer of the Gendarmerie Company of Antsirabe; - Joint Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie: October 1, 1987; - Second Deputy Commanding Officer of the National Gendarmerie: November 12, 1993; - First Deputy Commanding Officer of the National Gendarmerie: December 15, 1994; - Secretary General for National Defense in the Office of the Prime Minister: August 3, 1996; - Director General of Customs: October 1, 1998; - Representative of Civil Aviation of Madagascar: March 1, 1999; - Military Expert at the Organization of African Unity: January 1, 2000; - Francophone Indian Ocean Representative to the Government of Comoros (Military Expert): March 1, 2001; - UN Representative in Comoros (Military Expert): 2001; - Inspector General of the National Gendarmerie: April 1, 2004; - Director of Military Cabinet in the Office of the Presidency: November 24, 2004; - Minister of Interior and Administrative Reform: November 28, 2005; - Prime Minister: January 20, 2007. MCGEE