Pretoria - Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, will later today depart for Madagascar to attend the inauguration of Madagascar’s President-elect, Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
Fransman will represent President Jacob Zuma at the ceremony, which is scheduled for Saturday.
The deputy minister, in his capacity as Special Envoy, had played a leading role in the negotiation of the roadmap during South Africa’s tenure as Chair of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, to bring about stability in that country.
“Fransman will also utilise the visit to the Republic of Madagascar to meet various political stakeholders in order to reinforce the message of South Africa’s support for on-going efforts towards reconciliation and national unity in Madagascar,” International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Clayson Monyela said.
Last week, Rajaonarimampianina was declared the winner of presidential elections designed to put four years of political and economic crisis to bed. He won by 53.49 percent of votes, while his opponent Jean Louis Robinson received 46.51 percent.
The election was endorsed by SADC member states. – SAnews.gov.za
