Malagasy Foreign Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata formalized on Monday the request for the recall of European Union Ambassador Isabelle Delattre. “The reason why we asked for the replacement of the European ambassador is that there was interference in the internal affairs of the Malagasy state,” she admitted during a press conference cited by our RFI colleagues. “In the field of diplomatic relations, there are strict rules to respect”, such as “not getting involved in the internal affairs of a country”, she then criticized.
In question, the public criticism by the diplomat of the Malagasy law, validated on February 23 by the High Constitutional Court of Madagascar, making surgical castration automatic for “perpetrators of rape committed against children under ten years of age”. During a press conference three days later, the EU ambassador declared that this law was contrary to international treaties. A statement which caused a chill with the Malagasy authorities. The head of Malagasy diplomacy had thus contacted the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs.
In a missive dated February 26, Rafaravavitafika Rasata expressed “his dissatisfaction” with the ambassador’s press conference, according to the spokesperson for the European Commission in charge of Foreign Affairs Nabila Massrali, quoted by RFI at the beginning April, and confirming information from Africa Intelligence. The Malagasy minister then asked Brussels to “replace its ambassador”.
Still according to RFI, citing European sources, it is likely that Isabelle Delattre will leave her position by next July-August. The EU said it wanted to “keep good relations with Madagascar” while saying it regretted “the differences on the interpretation of certain international conventions relating to human rights”.
