born december politician president madagascar born farming family near capital city rose prominence founder ceo vast dairy later launching successful additional companies entered politics founding political party successfully ran position mayor holding position mayor improved security conditions city august announced candidacy independent december presidential election took office president amidst dispute election results successfully pressed claim won majority round leadership prime minister political party tim founded support presidency came dominate legislative local elections elected december majority round presidency madagascar significant advances development targets experienced average seven cent growth year administration oversaw construction thousands new schools health road rehabilitation aided improving rural farmers access markets establishment independent anti corruption agency adoption diverse supporting policies resulted decline government corruption natural areas protection expanded madagascar naturally development program release comprehensive development strategy madagascar action plan set targets goals national development second term areas governance infrastructure agriculture health economy environment national solidarity opposition members criticized later period presidency accusing increasing mixing public private interests addition benefits country growth evenly spread leading increased wealth inequality inflation decline purchasing power lower middle classes controversial land lease agreement korean agricultural firm purchase costly presidential jet closure media channels owned opposition leader mayor strengthened popular disapproval policies rallied popular support opposition leading popular uprising began january ended months later resignation pressure taking control military support power transfer viewed international community coup état lived exile south_africa engaged active negotiations heads state organize national elections december declared present candidate elections viewed legitimate international community candidate elected president january defeating candidate camp attempting return madagascar october arrested having sentenced lifelong hard labour abuses power administration sentence lifted freed house arrest announced opening business group elected president tim early years youngest siblings born december farming family humble means village kilometres east parents worked opening small shop rural village anticipating regional violence erupted uprising french colonial rule family relocated village near ancestral lands outside highlands mother worked addition assisting husband farming land family origins island largest politically prominent ethnic group family tomb outside historic walls village placement typically indicate family origins lie traditional ruling continues exert considerable influence political affairs modern madagascar later entry political sphere question background popular interest ongoing debate public press biographer maintains family origin young age regularly attended christ madagascar reformed protestant church million adherents important religious association madagascar youth sang choir later taught age began attending public primary school located kilometres walked distance daily departing early sell train passengers nearby station completed upper primary schooling protestant missionary run private school mother arranged live host family completing primary studies attended swedish missionary run technical secondary school lived brothers began producing selling individual serving local villagers students means studies time met future wife classmate secondary school climate increasing political instability widespread school based protests administration dropped school eleventh grade program age pursued technical training participated sponsored training sweden germany business studies denmark danish ambassador returning madagascar november marriage produced daughter sons entrepreneur completing studies returned family began making selling common product highlands region bicycle collected milk farmers neighboring towns gradually increasing production opened cheese production center land named palace build factory years later wife handled administrative accounting business storage facility finished products located end 1970s dairy business employed staff members distributing products stores loan expand business request denied view france subsequent request million dollars approved founded company representative madagascar time secured loan exceptionally favorable conditions enabled sell products lower cost small dairy producers gradually significant competitors business later left post principal investor company joined private investors south_africa germany united_states continued grow entrepreneur began incorporating imported ingredients milk south_africa cent composition dairy products surplus butter europe improving business enabling additional concentrated exclusively production dairy products expanding fruit ice cream cooking oil slogan printed group products madagascar reflected national pride vision madagascar develop larger capacity produce quality goods distribution national international markets cultivated political relationships facilitate continued growth spite economic climate non free enterprise socialist administration early support 1980s came minister finance minister mid-1980s enterprise enabled purchase costly villa owned french colonial governor central neighborhood pretext concern mad cow disease plans build farm stocked imported high yield milk cows overcame objection breeding high yield cows locally production later year daughters began competing vegetable oil brand declared candidate presidential elections provided significant financial contributions campaign return tax edible oil products period years profits consequently earned create wholesale company dozen principal warehouses country enabled widespread distribution products urban rural areas flagship warehouse neighborhood administration launched inquiry business practices september issued executive decision june company shut failure adhere agreement requiring create jobs produce low cost vegetable oil ruling overturned supreme_court october number lawsuits filed business practices including court judgment eve presidential election requiring payment billion taxes dismissed ended court settlement resulted criminal conviction height period presidency provided direct employment staff indirect employment group largest dairy producer country leader national sector success enterprises wealthy man mandatory self disclosure wealth submitted presidential candidates declared ownership properties valued billion owned cent cent cent portfolio worth billion declared million annual revenues demonstrates holdings annual revenue particular significantly mayor decided register independent candidate mayoral election finance representative party president met entrepreneur years prior relation business matters discussed possibility run candidate idea abandoned principal opponent prime minister party suffered low popularity leading support representative party contrast unknown attracting attention primarily considerable success employment wealth creation role vice president christ madagascar vocal support candidate supporters high level staff established group promote campaign named love candidate spent million campaign drawn proceeds business private donations campaign staff widely distributed promotional posters featuring candidate face slogan handed free boxes milk public campaign posters featured logo images candidate riding bicycle laden milk play image simple poor farmer intelligence determination responsible management succeeded developing thriving business apply skills develop capital city campaign received support basis evident success manager leadership christian community non alignment party relative physical female voters campaign opened november november held led polls november municipal elections elected mayor cent votes elected mayor security public administration capital city provided budget approximately million dollars manage took initiative secure additional funds established bank account public business contributions city improvement projects raising months obtained funds international donors establish garbage collection disposal systems restore dilapidated infrastructure roads public gardens received regular guidance council recently mayor baltimore maryland developed friendship business trips united_states ceo improve conditions city constructed public densely populated highly frequented areas tenure construction capital increased sharply new constructed years launched initiative install repair street lights city improve nighttime safety increased number police officers streets leading drop crime relationship president remained good early tenure mayor decision june eliminate red zones areas city public assembly protests prohibited provoked strong disapproval august interview san_francisco_chronicle expressed belief development madagascar require greater personal responsibility populace better business environment environmental protection reduced corruption response increasing media speculation strong candidate presidency stated ambivalent prospect declaring miss freedom business ease getting things presidency presidential election august church village birth announced intent run president election held december campaign promoted image self man draw business develop country played relative youth aged non alliance elderly political dominated politics previous decades humble origins village farmer inspired support rural voters population seen embodiment voters wished established madagascar place corrupt power networks dominated counsel christian churches madagascar rallied electoral slogan don afraid faith received counsel support campaign mayor baltimore director president bill_clinton campaign announcement sparked actions administration resulting frequent attacks press court judgment billion million unpaid taxes lawsuits relation management later settled court attacks denounced campaign support network tim speeches candidate delivered urban rural areas island travel possible considerable personal wealth airplane seven distribution helicopters registered distribution channels distribute posters baseball caps shirts promotional materials october polls showed ahead following december election official results place cent cent majority run required candidates claiming won majority round refused participate run instead demanding review votes supporters blockaded capital supporters controlled declared president february april pronounced winner absolute majority round election sworn dispatched soldiers bring pockets resistance control incidents unrest continuing fled exile july losing control country provinces term election presidency sought negative economic impact month political cost madagascar millions dollars lost tourism trade revenue damage infrastructure including bombed bridges buildings damaged arson enacted series new laws policies reforms sought remaining traces socialist ideology replace firmly capitalist market driven economic environment break tradition new head state moved away reliance principal trading partner france cultivated relationships partners germany united_states south_korea strategy madagascar economic development partnered advisers harvard_university launch rapid results initiative designed spur rapid economic growth approved administration entitled madagascar naturally principle environmental conservation sustainable economic growth negative economic impact political crisis gradually overcome progressive economic political policies encouraged investments education facilitated foreign direct investment cultivated trading partnerships internationally world parks congress pledged triple protected natural areas island million hectares million hectares cent country land surface years established bureau anti corruption anti corruption bureau resulted reduced corruption lower level particular high level officials prosecuted bureau year agreed write half madagascar debt having met set stringent economic governance human rights criteria madagascar country benefit new development fund managed united_states legal reforms strengthened state institutions particularly judiciary produced improvements human rights civil liberties business climate consequently economy grew average annual rate seven cent presidency administration hundreds kilometers roads paved isolated rural areas dramatic improvements education health achieved administration term thousands new primary schools additional classrooms constructed older buildings renovated tens thousands new primary teachers recruited trained primary school fees eliminated kits containing basic school supplies distributed primary students logging protected areas outlawed january elected president remained prominent player private sector des state agricultural corporation national trading corporation provided opportunity purchase entities incorporated created public roads construction company benefits economic growth administration evenly distributed leading higher costs living deepening poverty population fewer able increase wealth detractors indicate decline purchasing power dramatic inflation early presidency evidence failure reduce poverty critics remarked greatest reforms policies president giving example road construction projects enabled distribute efficiently farmers small targeted initiative furthermore companies tended awarded government contracts bid occurred legally weak legal framework conflict interest critics condemned tendency decisions disregard views entourage number resigned dismissed joined opposition movement gained considerable strength late november jet forced divert madagascar capital return trip europe following reports coup underway shooting near airport attempted coup ultimately unsuccessful presidential election ran second term presidential election held december according official results won election cent vote round best results received support cent voters sworn second term january second term second term oversaw revisions poverty reduction strategy paper renamed madagascar action plan map new strategy intended build successes term accelerate expand national development plan focused commitments governance extensive infrastructure agriculture based rural development family planning health particularly fighting hiv aids strong economic growth environmental protection traditional principle solidarity plan targets aligned construction schools hiring teachers continued second term additional measures adopted improve education quality including shift language instruction grades expansion primary schools house grades seven greater access lower secondary schooling overhaul national curriculum modified independence france constitution english added french official language reflection goal increase madagascar participation global market later half second term criticized domestic international observers accused increasing corruption confrontation december government closed owned mayor stating interview exiled head state likely peace security political opposition public dissatisfied recent actions undertaken including july deal lease half island land south korean cultivation corn palm oil november purchase second presidential jet cost million dollars week met madagascar prominent opposition leaders referred press develop joint statement demanding administration improve adherence democratic principles demand broadcast press conference promised politically open public space capital democracy square beginning january led series political rallies downtown gave voice frustration policies triggered particularly economically members political opposition february dismissed mayor appointed special delegation headed manage affairs capital february occupy president office central presidential guard opened fire advancing crowd killing wounding president independence allow defense forces shoot civilians months later demonstration led supporters fourth president authorize action popular disapproval intensified favor resignation perceptions alternative remained mixed conflicts pro security forces continued following weeks resulting additional deaths march following declaration neutrality army leadership pro opposition soldiers stormed army headquarters forced army chief staff resign days army deployed forces enable opposition occupy key chief military police transferred loyalty army sent tanks president palace rejected offer march hold national referendum determine president resign called security forces arrest president following day army stormed captured hours later transferred power group senior army personnel act described opposition voluntary resignation later declared forced gunpoint relinquish power military council charged organizing elections months writing constitution fourth republic vice admiral announced march council transfer power directly making president opposition dominated hat appointed weeks earlier military backing hat charged taking tasks previously accorded proposed military madagascar constitutional court deemed transfer power military board legal court statement include justification decision sworn president march municipal stadium crowd supporters transfer power considered illegitimate unconstitutional international community widely described press coup état post presidency coming power hat pursued legal action june fined million dollars million british pounds sentenced years prison alleged abuse office according minister included december purchase presidential jet worth million claimed mixed public interests personal interests head state exile south_africa time having prevented returning madagascar previous month additionally august sentenced hard labour life role protests ensuing deaths arrest issued general colonel faced heavy pressure transitional government april demanded company pay million dollars taxes risk shut requested renounce participation presidential elections order end ongoing political crisis december announced participate elections encouraged follow suit line recommendations complied wife submitted candidacy months later candidacy declaring sought govern wife august special electoral court candidacy chief competitors candidate elected president january defeating candidate camp attempting return madagascar october arrested having sentenced lifelong hard labour abuses power administration sentence lifted freed house arrest broadcasts radio station announced opening business group elected president tim activities known christian faith young adult gradually took increasingly responsible leadership roles church community early replaced member eastern quickly elected president august year elected head vice president quoted saying dream christian nation vision critics considered violation constitution described state secular constitutional referendum removed changes enjoyed strong support church organizations early political career organizations placed increasing pressure time viewing policies effective reducing poverty island owns media group operates radio television stations honours grand commander special class order merit honorary doctorate law honorary doctorate
Marc Ravalomanana