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Norway freezes aid to Madagascar

Opposition protestors, Antananarivo Christina Corbett/IRIN
Opposition protestors demonstrate in Antananarivo
    JOHANNESBURG

    Norway has frozen about US$14 million in bilateral aid to Madagascar, after the island's president was forced to relinquish his post after months of political turmoil.



    President Marc Ravalomanana was ousted by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina on 17 March, who installed himself as president with the support of the army and, two days later, reportedly suspended parliament.



    Norwegian government spokesperson Ragnhild Simenstad told IRIN the freezing of the annual government-to-government aid represented "almost the entire sum."



    "We are assessing the situation on an ongoing basis. Any takeover of power that is not in line with democratic rules will have consequences for Norwegian aid to Madagascar," Norway's Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, said in a statement.



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    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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