Antananarivo – Toamasina highway project: Call to build the future without (…)

2024-07-15 06:21:16

As activists committed to promoting the sustainable development of Madagascar and representatives of civil society and rural populations, we welcome the government’s commitment to modernize the country and facilitate transport between Antananarivo and Toamasina.

However, we would like to express our deep concern regarding the highway project in its current design. Our duty is to draw attention to the aspects of the project, as we know it, which is likely to have a negative impact on the country and the population, and to contribute to the collective search for the best solution.

This is the planned route for the entire highway, which we know so far.

It seems to us that the project has problems in the following areas:

Food security and social well-being

The planned route would affect 195 hectares of rice fields and cultivated land, 559 hectares of forestry and 69 watercourses. This goes against the national policy aimed at agricultural self-sufficiency, and risks increasing the number of people living in poverty and vulnerability, reducing food insecurity, leading to internal migration and minimizing existing social inequalities already unbearable for the population.

Protecting forests and biodiversity

The proposed route directly threatens the New Anjozorobe Angavo Protected Area and the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor Natural Resources Reserve (CAZ) created in 2015. These two protected areas shelter more than 10% of Madagascar’s primary forests. This route would irrevocably divide the CAZ corridor, once one of the main eyes of the great forest across the east of the country. There would be a direct loss of 1490 hectares of wild primary forest and

irreplaceable, rich in unique and globally threatened species, such as the Indri, the Crowned Sifaka and the giant Coua.

More seriously, this highway risks destroying kilometers of forest on both sides. It has been shown worldwide that 95% of forest destruction occurs within 50 km of a road, and that only one road is enough to destroy a forest (Laurance et al, Science, 2001). By providing access to the heart of the forest, the highway would bring more destructive activities than development: tavy, coal mining, trafficking, illegal mining, etc. Concretely, it is very likely that the CAZ tract would not again be a large massif, but two distinct forests, much smaller in size and in their capacity for ecological recovery.

Climate resilience

These forests are not only wildlife sanctuaries; they are the water tower of our country. They play a vital role in maintaining moisture and rainfall patterns, including in the highlands. At a time when Madagascar is one of the 5 countries most threatened by global warming, it is vital to preserve the last large blocks of forest, as their evaporation has been proven to feed the clouds. In addition, the CAZ forest corridor provides water to the great valleys of Alaotra (one of Madagascar’s rice granaries) and to the rice plains that grow around Thoamasina. By splitting critical forest blocks and affecting 69 waterways, the proposed route would reduce Madagascar’s climate and agricultural resilience.

International reputation

The conservation of Madagascar’s last primary forests is a globally recognized priority. If a highway destroyed the forest on a large scale, it would seriously affect the country’s image on the international stage. What credibility would Madagascar then have to obtain international credits for resilience, sustainability, climate, forest and carbon protection? The country would lose any chance to position itself as a champion on these matters, which is nevertheless booming. It would also affect the country’s image as an ecotourism destination.

Funding transparency

The available information shows that the budget is $920 million, of which 20% is covered by the Malagasy state, or $184 million. Civil society and the public have the right to ask where this sum comes from, even though they have urgent health needs,

education and food security are not satisfied. Additionally, to date, no information has been made public about the other 80%, or $736 million. Will the State increase the country’s debt with this huge sum? Which donor will agree to finance a project that destroys the primary forest? These are big questions for the viability of the project and the country. They ask for urgent clarifications.

Compliance and good governance

The project as it is being done so far is a matter of concern from a governance point of view. The choice of the Samcrete company does not appear to have been the subject of a call for tenders, and there are no guarantees regarding the experience and ability of this company to complete such a project. The basic steps seem to be very lacking, especially the full environmental and social impact assessment, public consultations and the collection of free, prior and informed consent from the affected communities.

In addition, the way known so far would go directly against the commitments made by Madagascar at the international level, whether on the reduction of poverty, the protection of forests and biodiversity, or the fight against global warming and its influences. Likewise, the project is inconsistent with very important national frameworks, such as the Environmental Charter, the Decree that Complies with Environmental Investments (MECIE) and the Protected Areas Code.

If the State decides to go against its own legislation on protected areas, that is a serious precedent that could endanger all the protected areas of Madagascar. It would also be a very bad sign: how can the authorities still ask the population to respect protected areas? It is essential that protected status is respected.

Praises

We ask the Madagascar authorities to:

1. Suspension of the current project and a strategic and open consideration of viable alternatives, such as minor modernization of the existing national roads (RN2, RN3, RN44, etc.), massive development of railways (freight and passengers), or routes explore other possibilities, for example avoiding AP Anjozorobe Angavo and going between the CAZ corridor and Zahamena National Park.
2. That the standards for the launch of a large infrastructure project be respected, in terms of consultation, transparency, including a financial and exhaustive analysis of social and environmental risks and solutions and alternatives.
3. That the results of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments be submitted to Civil Society Organizations and organizations that manage protected areas before any route is validated, in accordance with the MECIE decree, in a completely transparent manner and without undue pressure.

We ask the potential donors of this hitherto unknown highway project:

1. To respect the environmental and social management standards in force at the national and international level, especially in terms of respect for protected areas and studies of the impact on the environment and the environment.

We ask all donors in Madagascar to:

1. Making respect for protected areas a central point of their dialogue with the government of Madagascar regarding the conditionality of bilateral and multilateral funding.
2. Initiate a dialogue with the Madagascar authorities regarding solutions to modernize transport between Antananarivo and Toamasina, and in the event that satisfactory solutions are found, provide their assistance.

We are convinced that this type of major project, which requires significant resources and even more debt for the country, must be the subject of broad consultation and joint reflection, so that the common good is given priority.

We thank you for the attention you will give to these vital questions and you will remain available to the authorities to initiate this dialogue. It is not too late for a transparent, constructive and comprehensive consultation, the only way to achieve success for the country.

July 10, 2024

Press release supported by:

Aika – Malagasy Youth Alliance for Climate, Biodiversity and the Fight against Desertification
Alamino – Madagascar Landscapes and Forests Agora
AVG – Natural Gas Alliance
Asia Madagascar
BIMTT – Liaison Office of Trainers in the World of Farmers (Association of
Farmer Community Trainers)
CCOC – Joint Group of Citizens and Citizens’ Organisations
CNPE – National Environmental Advocacy Coalition
CI – Conservation International – Madagascar
Faculty of Sciences of the University of Antananarivo
Fanamby Society
FAPBM – Madagascar Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity
FEKRITAMA – Federation of Malagasy Farmers (Farmers’ Federation of Madagascar)
Green Bongolava Association
Tany Meva Foundation
Madagascar Peace Society
FTM/CPM – Peasant Alliance of Madagascar
FVTM – Federation of Farmer Women in Madagascar (National Federation of Malagasy Rural Women)
GERP – Primary Studies and Research Group
The Seed of Life
Glas’N’Kool
NGO Hitsy
INDRI – Ecological Development, Restoration and Innovation Initiative
KOLOHARENA
ONG Lalana
Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership
Madagascar calculated
MBG – Missouri Botanical Garden
Mitsinjo Association, Andasibe
MSIS Tatao – Multisector Information Service (Service d’information multisectoriel)
MWC – Madagascar Wildlife Conservation
MYBN – Malagasy Youth Biodiversity Network
Natural Justice
Our Country
Urgent Planète – SOS Group
PFNOSC – National Platform of Civil Society Organizations of Madagascar
Publish what you pay
ONG Ravintsara
Ancestor of Vohibola
Sadabe Madagascar
SAF/FJKM
THAT SAHA
SIF – Joint Property Forum (Property Owners Solidarity)
Tafo Mihaavo – Network of Communities Managing Natural Resources in Madagascar (Network of communities managing natural resources in Madagascar)
TAMIA – Tahosoa Alandriake Mitambatse Ianatsono Anddatabo
Farmers Building (Madagascar Agricultural Society)
TI-IM – Transparency International – Madagascar Association Vahatra Initiative
VOI Didy – Local People’s Group in Didy Ambatondrazaka (Local communities of Didy Ambatondrazaka)
World Resources Institute
WWF Madagascar