Energy & Mining Finance: Madagascar is teaming up with London-based Gemcorp Capital Management to help its sovereign wealth fund mobilize up to $5bn over four years for hydropower, solar and mining ventures, including graphite, cobalt, nickel and rare earths, with an office planned in Antananarivo. Digital Inclusion & Telecom Policy: A new push to make mobile internet truly accessible in Madagascar highlights urgent reforms tied to the Electronic Communications Bill, with calls to cut telecom excise duties and lower taxes on mobile finance and entry-level devices to reduce costs for households. Agribusiness & Research Links: AfricaRice is visiting CIMMYT to deepen partnerships aimed at resilient food systems, with a focus on strengthening rice production and scaling climate-smart approaches across southern Africa, including Madagascar. Infrastructure & Power Projects: Madagascar signed an MOU for a 120 MW Volobe Amont hydro plant, adding momentum to the country’s energy pipeline. Cross-Border Labor Pressure: A new Comoros jobs law threatens livelihoods of Malagasy migrants, raising concerns about precarity and exclusion from certain small-scale work. Health & Biosecurity Watch: Reports around a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia keep international attention on lab safety and public health monitoring, a reminder of risks that can ripple into global trade and travel.