Rare Earth Push: The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation committed up to $4.84m to Harena Rare Earths’ Ampasindava project in northern Madagascar, backing pilot-plant work, lab testing and environmental studies for a potential $150m mine-to-magnet pipeline. Bilateral Trade & Investment: Madagascar and Egypt agreed in Cairo to deepen cooperation across trade, agriculture, healthcare, energy, water resources and tourism, with multiple cooperation agreements signed. Industry Finance for SMEs: While not Madagascar-focused, EBRD’s $100m Kenya facility with KCB Bank Kenya highlights a model Madagascar firms may watch: credit expansion for SMEs plus set-asides for women-led businesses and green investments, paired with advisory support. Off-Grid Solar Funding Trend: Landmark fundraising by Africa’s off-grid solar players (green bonds and securitised debt tied to PAYGo receivables) signals growing appetite for scalable energy access finance. Marine Impact Watch: A report flags rising underwater noise from shipping in the Western Indian Ocean, including waters around Madagascar, warning of ecosystem disruption. Madagascar Vanilla Goes Direct: Malagasy Vanilla says Temu’s Local Seller Program helped it sell directly to consumers across 14 European markets after shipping costs fell and sales jumped. Education & Integrity: A U.S. professor’s “invisible prompt” AI trap went viral, with “Madagascar” showing up in student answers—an indirect reminder for schools and training providers about AI-era assessment design.