Madagascar: Conclusion and Recommendations

This report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a set of policy recommendations for Madagascar to reverse a trajectory of political instability, chronic poverty, and economic crisis. It argues that while economic growth prospects are sound, structural constraints and vulnerabilities prevent the country from achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development.

• Madagascar's current development path shows that expected improvements are below the country's potential, and existing economic growth prospects are insufficient to achieve sustainable development or significant poverty reduction due to structural constraints and vulnerabilities.
• Improving governance and macroeconomic stability is fundamental, requiring the strengthening of democratic institutions via independent electoral bodies, anti-corruption measures, and the optimization of revenues by reducing tax exemptions and strengthening customs and tax administration, particularly in extractive industries.
• To stimulate economic diversification and growth, Madagascar should focus on local value addition in tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture, while supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to integrate into regional value chains.
• Long-term transformation depends on investing in human capital, specifically by increasing health and education expenditure, expanding rural infrastructure, and promoting a demographic dividend through family planning to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goal targets of 12 and 26 deaths per 1,000 live births for infant and under-five mortality respectively.
• Infrastructure development in energy systems, ports, airports, and roads is essential, with a specific emphasis on scaling up renewable energy projects, particularly solar and hydro, to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

APA

McLachlan, D. T., & Bello-Schünemann, J. (2026). Madagascar: Conclusion and Recommendations. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MG&topic=05-conclusion

Chicago

McLachlan, Du Toit, and Julia Bello-Schünemann. Madagascar: Conclusion and Recommendations. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MG&topic=05-conclusion.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=McLachlan |first1=Du Toit |last2=Bello-Schünemann |first2=Julia |title=Madagascar: Conclusion and Recommendations |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=31 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MG&topic=05-conclusion |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mclachlan2026madagascar, author = {McLachlan, Du Toit and Bello-Schünemann, Julia}, title = {{Madagascar: Conclusion and Recommendations}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MG&topic=05-conclusion}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }