Eswatini has sparked a diplomatic row with Madagascar after hosting ousted president Andry Rajoelina, drawing sharp criticism from the island nation’s military rulers.
Eswatini has sparked a diplomatic row with Madagascar after hosting ousted president Andry Rajoelina, drawing sharp criticism from the island nation’s military rulers.
Eswatini has sparked a diplomatic row with Madagascar after hosting ousted president Andry Rajoelina, drawing sharp criticism from the island nation’s military rulers.
Eswatini has sparked a diplomatic row with Madagascar after hosting ousted president Andry Rajoelina, drawing sharp criticism from the island nation’s military rulers.
Madagascar’s military-led government has sharply criticised Eswatini for hosting ousted president Andry Rajoelina last week, calling the visit a “grave infringement” of the country’s sovereignty.
The row erupted after Eswatini released photographs on Friday showing King Mswati III meeting Rajoelina. During the encounter, the monarch urged Madagascar’s military authorities to restore constitutional order.
In a statement, Madagascar’s military leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, issued his “strongest condemnation” of the meeting, describing it as “politically unacceptable”.
Rajoelina was overthrown last October after weeks of youth-led protests across the Indian Ocean island, triggered by persistent power and water shortages. The unrest escalated when elite military units sided with demonstrators and removed him from office.
The meeting in Eswatini marked Rajoelina’s first known diplomatic engagement since fleeing Madagascar following the coup.
Eswatini’s government defended the encounter, saying it formed part of the kingdom’s role in regional diplomacy. The royal household said the meeting was not intended to interfere in Madagascar’s internal affairs.
In its statement, Madagascar’s military authorities claimed Rajoelina had voluntarily renounced his Malagasy nationality after acquiring another citizenship, arguing that any attempt by him to present himself as a legitimate representative of the country was “legally unfounded”.
The statement also referred to unrest during September and October 2025, when about 30 people were killed. It said Rajoelina was serving as head of state at the time and described the period as “tragic”.
The military government warned that receiving the former president abroad could undermine ongoing efforts towards national reconciliation and the restoration of constitutional order.
Responding on Monday, Eswatini’s monarchy spokesperson Percy Simelane said Rajoelina was not seeking “protection or intervention” from the kingdom. He added that King Mswati III had consulted the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) before holding the meeting.
“The attack on the people of Eswatini is therefore misguided and unfortunate,” Simelane said.
Colonel Randrianirina has pledged that Madagascar will hold new elections within two years. In December, Sadc instructed the military authorities to submit, by 28 February, a roadmap outlining steps towards restoring democracy, including plans for fresh elections.
