In Brief: Norway freezes aid to Madagascar - US$14 million in bilateral aid
March 21st, 2009
JOHANNESBURG, - Norway has frozen about US$14 million in bilateral aid to Madagascar, after the island's president was forced to relinquish his post after months of political turmoil.
Photo: Christina Corbett/IRIN 
Frozen out
President Marc Ravalomanana was ousted by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina on 17 March, who installed himself as president with the support of the army and, two days later, reportedly suspended parliament.
Norwegian government spokesperson Ragnhild Simenstad told IRIN the freezing of the annual government-to-government aid represented "almost the entire sum."
"We are assessing the situation on an ongoing basis. Any takeover of power that is not in line with democratic rules will have consequences for Norwegian aid to Madagascar," Norway's Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, said in a statement.
go/he source.www.irinews.org