African Union Ends Madagascar Suspension

The African Union said Monday it had lifted its four-year suspension of Madagascar following democratic elections last month, the first since a 2009 coup.

The pan-African bloc's peace and security council announced "the lifting of the suspension of Madagascar" just two days after the country's new leader, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, was sworn in.

The AU statement said the island nation was permitted to re-join the bloc following "inclusive, credible and legitimate" elections and due to the "completion of the transition process and the restoration of constitutional order."

It also lifted all sanctions imposed on Malagasy leaders.

Madagascar's new leader was sworn in on Saturday after winning internationally-approved elections aimed at restoring democracy and much-needed foreign aid.

Rajaonarimampianina, Canadian-educated and a former finance minister, pledged to fight impunity and promised not to punish his political enemies.

The new president has a tough task ahead of kick-starting growth after the nearly five years of political crisis saw poverty increase, leaving nine out of 10 people scraping by on less than $2 a day.

The highly aid-reliant country, whose economy is based largely on textiles and tourism, lost a third of its foreign budget support after the 2009 coup.

The AU charter bans membership by any country without a democratically elected leader. Several countries are currently suspended from the bloc, including Egypt.