MADAGASCAR-Following the restoration of democracy and constitutional order in Madagascar, the South Africa Development Commission (SADC) has lifted the ban imposed on the country.
An Extra-Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held on the sidelines of the just ended 22nd African Union Ordinary Session in Ethiopia lifted the suspension, paving the way for Madagascar to resume its participation in all SADC activities.
Madagascar was suspended from SADC in 2009 when the country slid into a political turmoil.
This was after opposition leader Andry Rajoelina seized power from then President Marc Ravalomanana in a public demonstration backed by the military, similar to the method used by Ravalomanana when he seized power a few years earlier from his predecessor, Didier Ratsiraka.
However, since the suspension in 2009, SADC has been at the forefront of mediation efforts to ensure constitutional order returned in Madagascar.
Former Mozambican leader Joacquim Chissano was appointed as the lead negotiator in peace talks between Ravalomanana and Rajoelina.
The appointment of Chissano, in June 2009 came a week after the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) suspended their mediation efforts, citing lack of political will by the two parties.
The organizations vowed never to recognize the Rajoelina regime and at one point even suggested military intervention to save millions of Malagasy citizens affected by the political situation in their country.
SADC mediation finally paid off at the end of 2013 when Madagascar successfully held presidential elections won by former finance minister Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
He defeated his rival, Jean Louis Robinson by 53.49 percent to 46.51 percent of the total votes.
Rajaonarimampianina, who needed a run-off to win after coming second in the first-round presidential election in October, was sworn in as democratically elected president on 25 January.
This was after the Madagascar Electoral Court declared him the president-elect following an initial protest by Robinson who claimed that the December run-off vote was rigged.
