The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) has announced the immediate suspension of Madagascar from all AU activities following a military coup that toppled the government on October 14, 2025.
In a strongly worded communiqué issued after its 1306th emergency meeting in Addis Ababa, the Council “strongly condemned and totally rejected” the seizure of power by the military, describing it as a “blatant violation of AU principles and instruments,” including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the Lomé Declaration of 2000.
The Council’s decision, adopted under Article 7 of the PSC Protocol, emphasized the AU’s zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to protecting democracy and rule of law across the continent.
“The Peace and Security Council decides to immediately suspend the Republic of Madagascar from participation in all activities of the Union, its Organs and Institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country,” the communiqué read.
The AU further demanded that Madagascar’s armed forces “urgently and unconditionally uphold constitutionalism” and warned that failure to do so would result in targeted sanctions against all individuals involved in the coup.
The Council also called for a swift return to civilian-led governance through the establishment of a transitional authority and the organisation of “free, fair, credible, and transparent elections.” It directed the AU Commission, in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to provide the necessary support to help restore constitutional order.
In a show of regional solidarity, the AU welcomed SADC’s decision to deploy a High-Level Panel of Elders to Madagascar, while stressing the need for close coordination between both institutions.
The communiqué also appealed to external actors to avoid interference in Madagascar’s internal affairs and urged the Malagasy people to remain calm, prioritize national unity, and avoid actions that could escalate tensions.
“The Council urges the Malagasy people to remain calm, refrain from all acts that could fuel further violence, and to prioritize the supreme interests of the country and its people,” the statement added.
The PSC reaffirmed its solidarity with the people of Madagascar in their aspirations for good governance, democracy, and national development. It also tasked the AU Commission to fully implement the decisions from its earlier emergency meeting on October 13, 2025 (PSC/PR/COMM.1305) and pledged to remain “actively seized of the matter.”
The suspension marks another decisive step in the AU’s ongoing campaign against unconstitutional changes of government in Africa — a growing concern amid recent coups in parts of West and Central Africa.
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