Former Madagascar Premier Solonandrasana to Run for President

(Bloomberg) -- Former Madagascar Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana announced he’ll run for president in elections scheduled for November.

Solonandrasana will continue his efforts to develop the Indian Ocean island nation if elected, he told reporters Tuesday in the capital, Antananarivo. Solonandrasana, 54, was prime minister from April 2016 until June, when he resigned to allow for the creation of a national-unity government.

Forty six candidates registered for the vote by the deadline on Tuesday, the High Constitutional Court said in a statement on its website. Other politicians who have declared their candidacy include President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, and ex-leaders Marc Ravalomanana, Andry Rajoelina and Didier Ratsiraka.

Some candidates may be disqualified for failing to pay surety of 50 million ariary ($13,000), Midi Madagasikara, an Antananarivo-based newspaper, reported on Wednesday.

Madagascar, almost twice the size of Arizona, is the world’s biggest producer of vanilla. The prospective oil producer plans to auction offshore blocks. Companies including Sumitomo Group and Rio Tinto Group have mining interests in the country.

--With assistance from Kamlesh Bhuckory.

To contact the reporter on this story: Aina Rahagalala in Antananarivo at arahagalala@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net, Hilton Shone

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