Madagascar

House of Lords written question – answered at on 10 March 2009.

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Photo of Lord Jopling Lord Jopling Conservative

To ask Her Majesty's Government on what local advice the recent decision was based to discourage United Kingdom citizens from visiting Madagascar; to what extent the decision was based on the incidence of riots and the deaths of citizens from gunfire other than in Antananarivo and Toliara; and whether there was evidence of those disturbances in the north of the country.

Photo of Lord Malloch-Brown Lord Malloch-Brown Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Minister of State (Africa, Asia and the UN)

On 7 February 2009, following violent demonstrations that included the fatal shooting of 28 protesters in Antananarivo, we advised against all travel to Madagascar. As tensions eased following meetings between the two parties, we subsequently lowered the level of travel advice to advise against all but essential travel on 24 February 2009. Our decisions were based on reports from a range of sources across Madagascar, including reports from our honorary consuls in Antananarivo and Toamasima, the resident diplomatic community, the British Interests Section in Antananarivo, and a temporarily seconded member of staff based in Port Louis. We also followed reporting closely in the local media and made extensive use of an innovative "wiki" website through which British citizens in Madagascar could report what was happening on the ground in towns and cities across the country.

Almost all international travellers arrive and leave Madagascar via Antananarivo, which has, of course, been the focal point for the recent demonstrations between the Government of President Ravalomanana and former-Mayor of Antananarivo Andry Rajoelina's opposition. Although tourists were not specifically targeted, outbursts did occur in the vicinity of hotels and areas in which tourists could potentially be situated.

The safety of British Citizens travelling overseas is our overriding concern and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's travel advice is written with this in mind. The decision to advise against all or all but essential travel is not taken lightly and is ultimately made at ministerial level, with input from our overseas network and consular advisers using their expertise to take a global perspective on such crises. The political situation in Madagascar was highly volatile, with the opposition openly stating an intent to overthrow the Government, possibly through means of mass protests and seizures of government property. During periods of unrest such as these we review our travel advice at least once a day.

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