Overview

• Emmanuel Macron, on a two-day visit to Madagascar, called for creating conditions for a 'pardon' for France's colonial past in the country.
• The French president announced the restitution of Sakalava royal skulls, marking the first application of France’s 2023 restitution law.
• Macron publicly acknowledged the 'bloody and tragic' colonial massacres of 1897 and 1947, emphasizing the need for historical truth and reconciliation.
• Plans for bilateral historian commissions were revealed, modeled on similar efforts with other former French colonies like Algeria and Senegal.
• Descendants of King Toera secured a delay in the physical transfer of three crania from the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, highlighting local sensitivities and challenges in implementing restitution policies.