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Public Administration Training: Why Russia?

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The decision to send Malagasy officials to Russia for training in public administration raises a further question: what alternatives were considered, and why was Russia selected? Public administration is a well-established academic and professional field. Universities and training institutions around the world offer programmes covering: - public policy and strategic planning; - administrative and constitutional law; - public finance, taxation and budgeting; - procurement, auditing and financial control; - human-resource management; - project management and public-sector reform; - decentralisation and local government; - digital government and data management; - ethics, anti-corruption and accountability; - leadership, negotiation and crisis management; - statistics, economics and policy evaluation. Such courses are available across Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. Many are designed specifically for developing countries and fragile states. Some are delivered through universities,...
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Does Madagascar’s Government Really Know How to Run a Country?

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Michaël Randrianirina, president of the Refondation movement, has defended the decision to seek administrative training from Russia’s Presidential Academy. His argument is that Madagascar needs officials who understand how to manage a state, protect sovereignty, develop technological independence and serve the nation. At one level, this is entirely reasonable. Running a modern country requires expertise. Public administration, budgeting, taxation, infrastructure, security and essential services cannot be managed effectively through political enthusiasm alone. Madagascar needs competent institutions and properly trained officials. But the statement also raises a more uncomfortable question: Has the government really reached the point where it needs a foreign power to teach it how to run the country? The problem is not that Malagasy officials should never study abroad. International cooperation can provide valuable knowledge. Nor is Russia the only country to offer training in public adm...
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The Pyramid of Accountability Part One: What Does Accountability Mean?

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Accountability is one of those words we use frequently but rarely define. We demand accountability from politicians, public officials, business leaders, teachers, parents, and sometimes from one another. Yet the demand often means different things to different people. For some, accountability means punishment. For others, it means resignation, dismissal, prosecution, or public condemnation. But accountability is broader than punishment. At its heart, accountability means being responsible for decisions, explaining actions, accepting consequences, and correcting failures. A society cannot function without it. When public money is misused, citizens deserve to know what happened. When a government service fails, those responsible should explain why. When promises are made, there should be a mechanism for measuring whether they have been kept. Without these expectations, power becomes detached from responsibility. Accountability is not the same as blame Blame is often immediate and emotion...
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Breaking the Pyramid of Corruption: Leadership, Justice and Madagascar’s Reform Challenge Part 7: Breaking Corruption

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Part 7: Breaking Corruption Corruption is often described as a moral failure: dishonest officials, greedy businessmen and citizens willing to pay for favours. But corruption is more than individual wrongdoing. It is a system of control. When public money disappears, services deteriorate. When services deteriorate, citizens become dependent on personal connections, unofficial payments and political protection. In this way, corruption strengthens the pyramid of coercion: those at the top retain power, while those at the bottom are forced to negotiate for rights that should already belong to them. Breaking corruption therefore requires more than arresting a few individuals. It requires dismantling the conditions that allow corruption to survive. The first step is transparency. Public budgets, government contracts, tax revenues and development funds should be accessible and understandable. Citizens cannot hold leaders accountable for money they cannot see. Transparency turns public finance...
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Breaking the Pyramid of Corruption: Leadership, Justice and Madagascar’s Reform Challenge Part 6: Leadership

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Part 6: Leadership Leadership is often presented as power, authority and control. In reality, leadership is measured by responsibility: the willingness to make difficult decisions, accept consequences and place the public interest above personal advantage. This is especially important when discussing corruption. Corruption is not sustained by dishonest individuals alone. It survives when leaders tolerate it, benefit from it or fail to challenge it. A corrupt system therefore reflects not only the actions of those who take bribes, but also the decisions of those who allow such behaviour to continue. Leadership sets the standard Every organisation takes its direction from the example set at the top. If leaders respect the law, demand transparency and treat public resources as a public trust, these values can spread throughout government and society. But when leaders use public office for private gain, reward loyalty instead of competence, or protect those accused of wrongdoing, they send...
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From Promises to Results: What Will the Madagascar–Russia Partnership Deliver?

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The proposed cooperation between Madagascar and Russia has been presented as an opportunity to promote Russian language and culture, expand humanitarian assistance, and support education, youth training and scientific research. These objectives could bring real benefits to the Malagasy population. Better access to education, professional training and humanitarian support should be welcomed. But a memorandum of understanding is not the same as a completed project, and presidential statements are not tangible results. The central question is simple: What will ordinary Malagasy citizens actually receive from this partnership? From announcements to implementation The proposed cooperation reportedly includes Russian-language programmes, cultural centres, university exchanges, youth training and scientific collaboration. There has also been discussion of up to US$10 million in funding. However, the public needs clarity: - Has the funding been formally committed? - Who will administer it? - W...
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Breaking the Pyramid of Corruption: Leadership, Justice and Madagascar’s Reform Challenge Part 5: The International Comparison—2012–2025

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Part 5: The International Comparison—2012–2025 Madagascar should not be judged in isolation. Other countries have faced similar problems: weak institutions, political interference, limited public resources, and a public distrustful of those in power. Some have nevertheless improved their corruption scores over the past decade. The important question is not whether these countries have “eliminated” corruption. No country has done that. The more useful question is what changed in practice. Did they strengthen judicial independence, so that judges could investigate powerful individuals without political interference? Did they professionalise public appointments, replacing loyalty-based appointments with competence, experience, and transparent criteria? Did they digitise procurement and public services, reducing opportunities for officials to demand bribes or manipulate contracts? Other questions are equally important. Did they protect whistleblowers who exposed wrongdoing? Did leaders all...
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