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Mr Chiossano

ANTANANARIVO. — The Southern African Development community (Sadc) yesterday welcomed Madagascar’s decision on a list of candidates and the date for the much-delayed presidential elections.Madagascar’s independent national election commission has announced that the first round of the elections will be held on October 25 and the second round on December 20. The Special Electoral Court (CES) has also officially published the list of presidential candidates.

Sadc mediator, former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano, who ended a three-day mission told a press conference that Sadc urges Madagascar’s international partners to “provide financial, technical, material and logistical support for the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections in Madagascar this year, and support the socio-economic recovery in the country.”

The former Mozambican president said Sadc is determined to work with other international partners including the African Union, to implement “robust targeted sanctions to all those who seek to undermine the performance of (the) electoral process.”

Chissano called on the Malagasy people to uphold “peace, stability, tolerance, appeasement and national reconciliation” in the electoral process.

During the three-day mediation tour, Chissano’s four-member team met with Transitional President Andry Rajoelina, Prime Minister Omer Beriziky, presidential candidates and electoral officials.

Madagascar was plunged into a political crisis in late 2008. In March 2009, Rajoelina replaced Marc Ravalomanana with the backing of the military. The takeover was seen as a coup by the international community. The Sadc designed a roadmap for Malagasy politicians to restore democracy and constitutional rule in the country. — Xinhua.