It is important and necessary to raise international awareness about what is happening with the small islands of northern Madagascar. In Nosy Sakatia, a round table between the island’s inhabitants, accompanied by various experts who will help them, and the Green Mada Land company together with the authorities supporting it, is the next step expected in emergency.
The Prefect and Mayor failed to respond to an invitation from members of the Nosy Be Communal Council to ask questions about the Nosy Sakatia case on May 14, 2025. Therefore, the island’s inhabitants were hoping to receive some information when the Receveur des Domaines from Antsiranana invited them to visit the Nosy Be Domaines Service Office on May 21. He specifially said that the President of the Republic and many Ministers, responsible for the final decision, would be present. The islanders came, but neither the President nor any Minister showed up. The Receveur des Domaines of Nosy Be again invited a few representatives of the inhabitants the following day, in case authorities could talk to them . But no officials showed up.
State authorities should not shirk their duty of transparency.
New questions are now being asked: what really happened during the stay of the top central authorities on the island of Nosy Be for the Council of Ministers, apart from what is mentioned in the official minutes? Indeed, it wasn’t just Malagasy officials and their advisors from Antananarivo who came, but also two large yachts and a foreign-registered airplane. Reports are circulating that transactions concerning Madagascar’s small northern islands, notably Nosy Sakatia, were signed between Malagasy authorities and foreign entities during this meeting.
We would ask central State officials to officially declare, as is their custom, whether or not there has been an agreement signed concerning one or more of the smaller islands in the north. And if so, to specify the islands concerned and the content of the agreements.
On February 7, 2025, the Minister of Decentralization and Land Planning officially declared that the island of Nosy Mitsio had neither been sold nor leased. Is it still true, at the end of May 2025, that none of the land on one or more of Madagascar’s small northern islands has been treated as a commodity andmade the subject of a transaction with investors? By transaction, we mean a gift, sharing, exchange, lease or sale to individuals, companies or countries. These islands are inhabited by people who have inherited theland from their ancestors.They have maintained and preserved it so that its beauty is a source of pride for all Malagasies, and they have developed it to make a productive living from it.
During the Madagascar-Dubai Business Forum on May 27, strong appeals were made to Emirati investors. We are now asking Madagascar’s top authorities to disclose to the public the agreements signed and/or decisions taken in Dubai concerning Madagascar’s small northern islands and the “international tourism free-zone”. The first landfall of an English-speaking figure leaving a yacht at Ampasindava in the north of Nosy Mitsio, reported by the communities, coincided with the arrival in Dubai of the Malagasy delegation for this forum. The accompanying security forces were reportedly Malagasy.
Does the President of the Republic’s speech at the Forum, where he insisted on bringing about change in Madagascar “together”, mean that the small northern islands will be the first victims of the new form of partnership between Malagasy and foreign investors known as “co-investment”, announced in April?
The fact that the inhabitants of Madagascar’s small northern islands have been deprived of their right to carry out land titling procedures for many years, coupled with the actions of local and national authorities, shows that the communities were right to be concerned. Many citizens from all parts of Madagascar and beyond support the villagers of the small northern islands, and wonder whether they and their families will be able to enjoy their human rights to their land for much longer given current public policy directions, which is the opposite of fostering development for the majority of the Malagasy people.
Out of respect for human rights and related international covenants and conventions ratified by the Malagasy State, and in order to ensure accountability by the leaders to whom the people have entrusted the country’s management, it is urgent and imperative that those in charge of State and its government transparently inform all citizens about all agreements with foreign or Malagasy entities that have been concluded concerning the small islands in the north of Madagascar, namely Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Mitsio, Nosy Iranja, Nosy Faly, Nosy Be and Nosy Hara (*).
We remind you that the inhabitants of Sakatia are waiting for the date of the round table and reiterate the demand for the cancellation of all projects and intentions aimed at excluding and expelling the inhabitants of the small islands of northern Madagascar from their respective territories, as expressed in the petition currently open to the collection of signatures : Sauvons les enfants des îles du nord de Madagascar pour le respect des droits fondamentaux.
2 june 2025
Collectif TANY pour la défense des terres malgaches – TANY
patrimoine.malagasy@gmail.com; https://terresmalgaches.info; Facebook :TANYterresmalgaches ; X :CollectifTany
(*) As far as we know, Nosy Hara is not inhabited but is a Protected Area. We mention it in the list because it also seems to be of interest to people who visited Madagascar from yachts in May.