Madagascar Appeal No. 01.07/2003

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Introduction

Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, is the most poverty stricken of the southern Indian Ocean States and has an estimated population of 16.4 million. After seven months of political crisis, Marc Ravalomanana became the internationally recognised President of Madagascar in July 2002, and having little experience of the world of politics, he will face many tests in restoring external confidence in the country. The crisis has had a devastating impact on the country: well over 100,000 jobs have been lost, output from the export-free zone, a key contributor to the economy, was down by at least 20% in the first half of 2002. It is expected that GDP will contract by 10% by the end of the year while inflation is expected to reach 15%.

The slow down in the economy has meant that key improvements in the provision of social welfare have had to be postponed. The health and survival of the population, the majority already living in poor conditions, has been put at greater risk. The United Nations estimates that almost half of all children up to the age of two are malnourished. An outbreak of a virulent flu virus claimed the lives of more than 600 people in the June-August 2002 period, the majority of the victims succumbing due to poor nutrition and poverty. The country is struck by cyclones on an annual basis and forest depletion, which has increased dramatically, contributes to the impact of these cyclones.

National Context

The Malagasy Red Cross has a small headquarters in the capital, Antananarivo, a regional committee in each of the six provinces and a number of local committees. The vast size of the country and the high cost of transport make communication difficult. Internal problems within the National Society seriously damaged its image in the late 1990s. New governance was elected in 2001 with the intention of reversing this trend and some progress has been made; but there is still some way to go before the National Society will be in a position to enter into new partnerships. The Federation Secretariat closed its office in Antananarivo in mid 2001 and since then, support to the National Society has been coordinated through the Regional Delegation in Nairobi. The political crisis forced the National Society to postpone some of its activities. It is likely that in the event of another major cyclone operation, the National Society will require technical and financial support.

National Society Priorities

The Malagasy Red Cross finalised its Strategic Plan in mid 2002. The priorities set out are:

• to contribute to the reduction of transmissible diseases,
  
  
• to preparedness and response to cyclones; and
  
  
• to the strengthening of the organisational structure to work in these two domains.

An external financial audit of 1999 and 2000 accounts was carried out in 2002. Implementation of the recommendations will be a major priority in 2003 and will be essential if the National Society is to put the right structures and systems in place for the implementation of programmes. This will necessitate a change in the way governance operates and an agreement on the acceptance of a clear distinction between governance and management roles.

Red Cross and Red Crescent Priorities

The main priority for the Federation will be the implementation of the recommendations of the external audit. Coaching in governance and management will continue, provided that the National Society accepts that some of its current practices need to change. Technical advice will be provided in the implementation of health prevention activities, including HIV/AIDS. The French Red Cross which is supporting a programme to develop Indian Ocean National Society disaster response, through its 'Platform' on the island of La Réunion, will continue to develop Malagasy Red Cross capacity in this domain in 2003, and support branches in disaster preparedness and coordination. The ICRC will maintain its support to a dissemination and First Aid Programme and 3 branch coordinators, while the Federation will maintain its support to the running costs of the National Society. ICRC and the Federation will cooperate in assisting the Malagasy Red Cross in designing a Volunteer Management Policy.

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