The Malagasy State has decided to close the doors at 77 Newlands Avenue, Newlands, Cape Town, 7700.
High value
The project to permanently close and put up for sale the Consulate General of Madagascar in Cape Town was the subject of a verbal communication yesterday in the Council of Ministers. Although the price has not yet been communicated, the value of the building is surely high given the fact that it is located in the chic and affluent suburbs of Cape Town. What’s more, the Consulate General of Madagascar is located on the three main streets of Newlands, home to Capetown’s wealthiest people.
8 million dollars
In short, it is clear that the property should not be undervalued as for the Residence of Madagascar in New York which was underinvoiced at 8 million dollars in 2007 while the price actually received during of the transaction was for 12 million dollars. The affair – literally and figuratively – resulted in three staff members of the Madagascar Representation being singled out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2014 although the main mastermind never showed up in Ambohibao, despite the travel of the Bianco investigators in Manhattan. Right where the Residence of Madagascar was located, in one of the largest economic, financial and diplomatic centers in the world.
6 month deadline
Returning to Cape Town, the council of ministers announced that the South African authorities will be notified of the closure of the Consulate General. A mission will be sent to the site in order to take stock of the assets belonging to the Malagasy State which will be repatriated and/or put up for sale. The official documents will be transferred to the Embassy of Madagascar in Pretoria. The Malagasy State will have a period of 6 months after notification from its South African counterpart to proceed with the definitive closure of the Consulate General in Cape Town. The proceeds from the sale of the building will be used to open embassies in other countries such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Marseille – Saint-Denis
Note that there was no longer a Consul General of Madagascar in title in Cape Town since the abrogation of the post holder. The vice-consul who headed the mission was to be redeployed to the embassy in Pretoria before being subsequently repatriated. With this decision adopted yesterday by the Council of Ministers, Madagascar only has two Consulates General, namely in Marseille and Saint-Denis – Reunion. The post of Consul General is vacant in the second most populous city in France. Same story in the administrative capital of South Africa where the Madagascar embassy is headed by a Chargé d’affaires.
RO