RAVALOMANANA RESHUFFLES CABINET

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000332

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SUBJECT: RAVALOMANANA RESHUFFLES CABINET

REF: ANTAN 325

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1. (U) President Ravalomanana announced a new cabinet late April
30, naming five new Ministers and minor organizational changes.
This second reshuffle in six months was expected after the recent
Senate election (REFTEL). The complete new line-up is in Para 6.


2. (U) Both Minister of Decentralization Yvan
Randriasandratriniony and Minister of Civil Service Jacky Tsiandopy
were replaced; each will take their elected seats in the Senate.
The former's portfolio was moved under the Prime Minister. The
latter was replaced by Abdou Salam, the first Muslim Minister in a
Ravalomanana administration.


3. (U) The other three Ministers left out of the new cabinet were
Minister of Education Benjamin Radavidson, Minister of Transport
Julien LaPorte, and Minister of Youth and Sports Patrick
Ramiaramanana; each of whom had seen his star fade recently. The
new Minister of Education, Stangeline Ralambomanana Andrianarisandy,
was most recently a Professor in the Humanities Department at the
University of Antananarivo. She holds a Doctorate in Hispanic and
Iberian Studies from the Sorbonne in Paris. The new Transport
Minister, Pierrot Botozaza, was Director General of the Port of
Tamatave and a Deputy in the National Assembly (he will have to
resign from both positions to be Minister). The Ministry of Youth
and Sports was abolished; likely to be relegated to sub-ministerial
status.


4. (U) Marius Ratolojanahary will head the new Ministry of Land
Reform; replacing him as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and
Livestock is Armand Fanja Ramanoelina, formerly head of the
Agriculture Department at the University of Antananarivo. Also
included in the reshuffle decree, Ying Vah Zafilahy will take a new
position as Vice Minister for Higher Education.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: The big surprise in the cabinet reshuffle was
Agriculture Minister Ratolojanahary being moved from a portfolio
where he was quite effective to head up Land Reform. As Secretary
General and then Minister of Agriculture, Marius has been one of the
Embassy's best partners advancing our rural development objectives.
Naming Abdou Salam, a Muslim, to his cabinet, President Ravalomanana
appears to have taken the unprecedented step of reaching out to
Madagascar's Islamic minority, who comprise about 10 percent of the
population. With a series of elections complete and a new team in
place, the President will focus on hosting his Madagascar Action
Plan Round Table in June. END COMMENT.


6. Government of Madagascar
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Decentralization - Gen.
Charles Rabemananjara (Retained)

Minister of Foreign Affairs - Gen. Marcel Ranjeva (Retained)

Minister of National Defense - Ms. Cecile Marie-Ange Manorohanta
(Retained))

Minister of Justice - Ms. Bakolalao Ramanandraibe Ranaivoarivony
(Retained)

Minister of Public Works and Meteorology - Roland Randriamampionona
(Retained)

Minister of National Education and Scientific Research -Stangeline
Ralambomanana Andrianarisandy (New)

Minister of Finance and Budget - Hajanirina Razafinjatovo
(Retained)

Minister of Land Reform (New) - Marius Ratolojanahary (Former
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries)

Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries - Armand Fanja
Ramanoelina (New)

Minister of Energy and Mines - Elise Razaka (Retained)

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry - Ivohasina Razafimahefa
(Retained)

Minister of Environment, Water and Forest - Edmond Harrison

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Randriarimanana (Retained)

Minister of Health and Family Planning - Dr. Jean Louis Robinson
(Retained)

Minister of Civil Service, Labor and Social Law - Abdou Salam (New:
Former SG within the Ministry of Decentralization)

Minister of Telecommunications, Posts and Telecommunications - Bruno
Andriantavison (Retained)

Minister of Transportation - Botozaza Pierrot (New - TIM deputy
elected in Toamasina - Former General Director of Tamatave Port)

Vice-Minister in charge of Higher Education and Professional
Training - Ying Vah Zafilahy (New: Former Director within the
Education Ministry)

Vice-Minister in charge of social issues and Mother and Children's
Health - Marie Perline Rahantanirina (Retained)

Secretary of State within the Ministry of Interior in charge of

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Interior Security - Dsir Rasolofomanana (Retained)

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