Reactive: Madagascar- Roots of Turmoil with Stephen Ellis

Widespread refusal to recognise Andry Rajoelina as President of Madagascar and continued support for ousted leader Marc Ravalomanana means the island is likely to remain in turmoil for weeks to come.

The army-backed takeover, which has been condemned as a coup by foreign powers including the United States and the African Union and the Southern African Development Community is not only a blow to the AU but also likely to have reverberations far beyond Madagascar.

Following weeks violence in which more than a hundred people were killed the tourism industry has been crippled and foreign mining and oil investors scared off. 
Support for ex-president Marc Ravalonanana is dividing the country’s population and more violence may be on the horizon. 

What does the future hold for this troubled island? Join us for a one-on-one discussion with Stephen Ellis, a leading expert on the troubled country author of Madagascar: A Short History, who will be discussing the roots of the crisis, and its implications for the country and beyond.

Ellis is Desmond Tutu professor in the social sciences at the Free University Amsterdam, and a senior researcher at the African Studies Centre, University of Leiden . He has written a number of books on Madagascar and on Africa.