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