Madagascar: Crime threatens biodiversity

[Extract] Madagascar's new president, Andry Rajoelina, was elected on a promise to improve living standards for the millions who live in poverty. To achieve this goal, he must address the declining rule of law. Madagascar fell eight places in the Rule of Law Index between 2016 and 2018, and it is 155th of 180 countries listed in the Corruption Perceptions Index. Weak governance slows development by reducing the willingness of citizens and foreign companies to invest. Since his election, President Rajoelina has expressed a desire to make Madagascar a model of conservation and a destina-tion for ecotourism

Last chance for Madagascar’s biodiversity

Madagascar’s recently elected president ran on a platform of improving the economy and raising people out of poverty. We suggest that addressing the precipitous decline of biodiversity will help to deliver this commitment, and we lay out ways in which President Rajoelina could firmly put the country on a trajectory towards sustainable growth