Victoria Falls - Africa's largest trading bloc Comesa on Monday raised the possibility of military action to restore democracy in Madagascar. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) said it “unconditionally rejected and condemned in the strongest terms the unconstitutional change of government in Madagascar and called for the return to constitutional rule”.
Madagascar’s elected president Marc Ravalomanana was toppled by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina in March, following street protests in the capital.
Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda told the summit that regional integration will be difficult if member countries continue to face political instability.
“As Comesa we should not condone unconstitutional change of governments,” Banda said.
Unlawful removal
Comesa has no military capacity for dealing with crises. The summit also said it supported mediation efforts of the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The transitional authorities in Madagascar announced last week that Ravalomanana had been tried and sentenced in absentia to four years in prison and $70m in damages over the purchase of a $60m presidential jet from the Disney group.
The large Indian Ocean Island is one of the world’s poorest nations and the jet came to crystallise the opposition’s grievances.
The sentence handed down to the former president came less than two weeks after news emerged of a tentative deal that could have seen the two foes face off in a new election.
Ravalomanana swept into power in 2002 on a wave of public support and backing from influential churches and won presidential elections in 2006.