wfn.org | ACNS3304 Madagascar President tells Churches to play Frontline

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3304     |     MADAGASCAR	   |	 13 FEBRUARY 2003

Madagascar President tells Churches to play Frontline Role

[All Africa News Agency] The President of Madagascar, Mr Marc Ravalomanana,
has called on churches in Africa to take a firm frontline role in addressing
Africa's problems.

In an interview with AANA, Mr Ravalomanana, who is also the deputy president
of his church, the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, noted that Africa
was teeming with millions of Christians who comprised the Church's extensive
network.

As such, he added, the Church could take a lead where social mobilisation
was needed in tackling Africa's problems.

Asked how he managed to maintain exacting tasks of his leadership in the
Church and leadership of the country, he stressed, "I am first and foremost
a Christian and I will always be a Christian. I depend on God's grace to
lead my people and in return therefore, I must also serve my Lord."

The president, who had made a stop over in Nairobi (26 January) on his way
to Germany and Switzerland, also told an airport press conference that there
was an apparent warming up of relations between his country and the Africa
Union (AU).

This, he noted, followed last December's parliamentary elections in which
his party - Tiako Mafagasikara (TM) - made a resounding victory, having
scored 92 per cent of the 156 parliamentary seats.

The president pointed out that a fact-finding committee of AU was in his
country to gather facts and to report to the AU for the organisation's July
meeting to make a decision on whether or not to recognise his leadership.

He was met in Nairobi by Kenya's Minister for Lands and Settlement, Mr Amos
Kimunya, a one time auditor of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC).

Also present at the airport was the Honorary Consul of Madagascar, Mr Abel
Rakotomalala, who is also the Chief of Protocol of the AACC.

[Reported by Mitch Odero]

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