Madagascar Transition Deal Signed

We'll have to see if this is a step toward a resolution or just another Unity Government to Nowhere (Cf. Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)), but a deal has been done on a transition in the governance of Madagascar.

Madagascan leaders, including ousted president Marc Ravalomanana and strongman Andry Rajoelina, "agreed that the transition will last no longer 15 months from the signature of the accord," said UN mediator Tiebile Drame.

During that period legislative and presidential elections will be held under international supervision "which will lead to the re-establishment of stable democratic institutions in Madagascar," he added.

All well and good, and more power to them all if it works. Marc Ravalomanana has even stated he will personally not be part of the transition and that removes one road block to progress (his political party will be a part of the transition, however). The junta-backed A. Rajoelina government is in on the deal. Former presidents Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy were also invited to participate in the talks. This last is problematic as D. Ratsiraka has been a fugitive from a 2003 conviction on "misusing public funds and threatening state security" that has 10 years of forced labor and five years in prison as the sentence, but an amnesty for him was resolved as part of the negotiations.

But...

The composition of the transition government has yet to be decided, however, said former Mozambican leader Joaquim Chissano, who led the talks which began on Wednesday.

"They will reflect on it and make a decision later," he told journalists.

The transition government is include a president, vice president, prime minister and three deputy prime ministers.

There is going to be a heck of fight over who gets what out of that. Here's hoping T. Drame is up for handling some contentious negotiations.