AGP Executive Report

Mining & Critical Minerals: Terra Group says it has completed full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation, positioning PAMC’s Madagascar gold and coal assets for investment toward production. Rare Earths Finance: Harena Rare Earths secured a US$5m project funding facility from the U.S. DFC for its flagship Madagascar ionic clay rare earths project, aiming to move faster toward commercial production. Telecom & Infrastructure: AXIAN Telecom rebrands as Yas Group, unifying telecom, infrastructure and fintech under one corporate identity as it reports strong subscriber and mobile financial services growth. Textiles & Jobs: Afreximbank pushes its African Textile Renaissance Plan to turn cotton into finished garments across Africa, targeting 500,000 new jobs and $10bn in import substitution by 2030. Tourism Partnerships: Emirates renews and signs multiple tourism board deals, including with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, supporting a push toward one million visitors by 2028. Climate Resilience (Education): UNICEF reports climate hazards disrupted schooling for 171m students globally in 2025, with Colombia among the hardest hit—highlighting the broader risk to children’s education. Disaster & Conservation: A report revisits Cyclone Gezani’s damage in Madagascar and the knock-on effects on conservation work and endangered species recovery.

Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths says it has secured a US$5m project funding facility from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for its flagship rare earths project in Madagascar, positioning the company for faster progress toward production. Mining Ownership Shift: Terra Group announced it has completed full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation (PAMC), whose Madagascar assets focus on gold and coal, with plans to invest to advance the portfolio toward production. Textiles & Jobs Push: Afreximbank’s African Textile Renaissance Plan targets cotton industrialisation across the value chain, aiming to create 500,000 jobs and drive $10bn in import substitution by 2030, as Africa moves beyond exporting raw fibre. Tourism Dealmaking: Emirates renewed and signed multiple tourism board partnerships, including a renewed deal with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support a push toward one million visitors by 2028. Forestry Skills for Livelihoods: UNESCO highlights vocational training that helps communities build livelihoods while protecting Madagascar’s forests.

Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths says it has secured a US$5M project funding facility from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for its flagship rare earths project in Madagascar, positioning the ionic clay deposit for faster progress toward production. Mining Ownership: Terra Group completed its acquisition of full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation (PAMC), which holds Madagascar gold and coal assets through subsidiaries PAMM, PAMA and PAMS. Telecom & Fintech Growth: AXIAN Telecom rebranded as Yas Group, unifying its telecom, infrastructure and mobile financial services under one corporate identity, with reported strong subscriber and data growth. Textiles & Jobs: Afreximbank’s African Textile Renaissance Plan pushes to move cotton from raw fibre into spinning, weaving, dyeing and garment manufacturing, targeting 500,000 new jobs and $10bn in import substitution by 2030. Tourism Demand Building: Emirates renewed and signed tourism board deals, including with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, tied to a push for one million visitors by 2028.

Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths says it has secured a US$5m project funding facility from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for its flagship Madagascar rare-earths project, positioning it for faster progress toward commercial production. Mining Ownership Shift: Terra Group completed full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation (PAMC), whose Madagascar subsidiaries hold gold and coal assets, with plans to invest toward production and long-term operations. Telecom Branding Move: AXIAN Telecom has renamed itself Yas Group, consolidating its telecom, infrastructure and fintech identity under one corporate brand while keeping operating names for customers. Textiles & Jobs Push: Afreximbank’s African Textile Renaissance Plan targets turning cotton into finished textile and garment exports, aiming for major job creation and reduced reliance on raw-fibre exports. Tourism Dealmaking: Emirates signed/renewed multiple tourism board partnerships, including a Madagascar Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts agreement aimed at boosting visitor numbers through joint marketing and incentives. Cyclone Resilience & Conservation: A report revisits how Cyclone Gezani disrupted communities and fragile ecosystems in Madagascar, including the knock-on effects for endangered species and conservation operations. Science for Local Capacity: Coverage highlights South-South sci-tech cooperation models that build local know-how, with lessons relevant to Madagascar’s development and skills-building goals.

Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths says it has secured a US$5M project funding facility from the U.S. DFC for its flagship rare earths project in Madagascar, positioning the ionic clay deposit for faster progress toward production. Telecom & Infrastructure Branding: AXIAN Telecom has renamed itself Yas Group, consolidating its pan-African telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech under one corporate identity—after earlier Yas branding for its mobile networks. Mining Ownership Move: Terra Group completed its acquisition of full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation, which holds Madagascar gold and coal mining assets through PAMM, PAMA and PAMS. Tourism Dealmaking: Emirates’ ATM 2026 push included a partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support a drive toward one million visitors by 2028. Textiles & Jobs Angle: A new cotton-to-textiles push led by Afreximbank targets industrialization across Africa, aiming to create 500,000 jobs and shift value from raw fibre exports. Disaster Resilience: Coverage of Cyclone Gezani highlights how Madagascar’s storms hit both people and fragile ecosystems, stressing the need for stronger conservation and local response capacity.

Mining & Investment: Terra Group says it has completed full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation (PAMC), with plans to invest in PAMC’s Madagascar gold and coal assets to move toward production. Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths secured a US$5M funding facility from the US DFC for its Madagascar rare-earth project, highlighting growing interest in non-China supply for EVs, renewables and advanced electronics. Telecom Corporate Move: AXIAN Telecom rebrands at group level as Yas Group, consolidating telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech under one identity across African markets including Madagascar. Tourism Partnerships: Emirates signed/renewed seven tourism deals at Arabian Travel Market 2026, including a partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support the push for one million visitors by 2028. Textiles Value-Add Push: Afreximbank’s African Textile Renaissance Plan targets turning cotton into finished textile and garment exports, aiming for major job creation and industrialization across the continent.

Telecom & Infrastructure: AXIAN Telecom has rebranded at group level as Yas Group, unifying its telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech identity across markets including Madagascar, with reported growth in mobile financial services and a large tower footprint. Mining & Critical Minerals: Terra Group completed full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation, positioning the Madagascar-linked gold and coal assets for further investment toward production. Rare Earths Finance: Harena Rare Earths secured a US$5M DFC project funding facility for its flagship Madagascar rare-earth project, signaling momentum toward commercial development. Tourism Partnerships: Emirates kicked off Arabian Travel Market 2026 with seven tourism board deals, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts aimed at reaching one million visitors by 2028. Agri-Industry & Skills: UNESCO vocational training is highlighted as helping communities build livelihoods while protecting Madagascar’s forests, with practical support tied to local economic activities.

Telecom Rebrand: AXIAN Telecom has renamed itself Yas Group, consolidating its telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech operations under one corporate identity while keeping local business names for customers and regulators. Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths secured a US$5M project funding facility from the US DFC for its flagship Madagascar rare-earths project, positioning it for faster progress toward production. Mining Ownership: Terra Group completed its acquisition of full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation, aiming to advance PAMC’s Madagascar gold and coal assets toward production. Tourism Push: Emirates kicked off Arabian Travel Market 2026 with seven tourism-board deals, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support the “one million visitors by 2028” goal. Agri/Innovation Capacity: UNESCO highlights vocational training that helps communities build livelihoods while protecting Madagascar’s forests. Global Logistics Trend: Drone delivery is expanding across Africa for medical supplies and beyond, pointing to new last-mile logistics models relevant to Madagascar’s connectivity needs. Local Industry Angle: VEGA showcased measurement expertise beyond mining at Electra Mining Africa 2026, including applications across water, food & beverage, pharma and chemicals.

Mining & Investment: Terra Group completed its acquisition of full ownership of Pan African Mining Corporation (PAMC), positioning the group to push PAMC’s Madagascar gold and coal assets toward production. Critical Minerals Finance: Harena Rare Earths secured a US$5M project funding facility from the U.S. DFC for its flagship Madagascar ionic clay rare earth project, aiming to accelerate development toward commercial output. Tourism & Air Connectivity: Emirates signed or renewed seven tourism deals at Arabian Travel Market 2026, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support the country’s one-million-visitor-by-2028 goal. Energy/Industry Tech: VEGA showcased measurement expertise beyond mining at Electra Mining Africa 2026, highlighting level and pressure instrumentation used across sectors including water, food, pharma, chemicals and oil & gas—already in use from mining operations to Madagascar. Local Livelihoods & Conservation: UNESCO vocational training is helping communities build livelihoods while protecting Madagascar’s forests, with aquaculture training also emerging as a practical income alternative.

Telecom & Digital Infrastructure: AXIAN Telecom rebrands as Yas Group, consolidating telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech under one corporate identity—its Madagascar mobile network operators are already under the Yas name. Tourism & Air Connectivity: Emirates signed/renewed tourism deals covering Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Sharjah, Malaysia, Finland and Norway, plus renewed partnerships with Huawei and Dubai Duty Free—aimed at boosting inbound flows and supporting Madagascar’s 1 million tourists by 2028 target. Mining & Processing: China’s Shenghe Resources begins construction of a heavy mineral sands processing plant in Pangani, with raw materials planned from other African countries including Madagascar. Industrial Tech for Mining: VEGA showcased measurement and pressure/level instrumentation for harsh sites, noting its use across Africa including Madagascar. Aquaculture & Forest Livelihoods: UNESCO/BIOCOM-supported training is helping fish-fry producers in Madagascar’s Marojejy area expand aquaculture while pushing conservation of the forest that supplies water for livelihoods. Cyber & Fraud Enforcement: US DOJ action targets the Xinbi Telegram scam marketplace, while separate reporting notes Madagascar-linked takedowns of Chinese-run scam compounds.

Telecom Branding: AXIAN Telecom rebrands at group level as Yas Group, unifying communications and regulatory work across Madagascar and other African markets while positioning Yas around telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech. Tourism & Air Connectivity: Emirates kicked off Arabian Travel Market 2026 with seven tourism deals, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts aimed at supporting the push toward one million tourists by 2028. Critical Minerals & Processing: A new focus is emerging on refining, not just mining, as India ramps up critical-mineral demand and looks to Africa to feed industrial and clean-energy plans. Logistics Innovation: Drone delivery is expanding in Africa for medical supplies and beyond, with Côte d’Ivoire approving more Zipline infrastructure—an approach that could inform last-mile models for island and hard-to-reach areas. Forestry-Livelihoods: UNESCO-backed training is helping communities build livelihoods through fish farming while protecting Madagascar’s forests, linking aquaculture feed and water needs to conservation.

Telecom & Finance Consolidation: AXIAN Telecom is rebranding at group level as Yas Group, unifying its telecom, digital infrastructure and fintech operations under one corporate identity across multiple African markets. Tourism & Air Connectivity: Emirates kicked off Arabian Travel Market 2026 with seven tourism board deals, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts aimed at supporting the country’s 1 million tourists by 2028 target, alongside renewed agreements for Seychelles, Mauritius and others. Mining & Value-Add Pressure: India’s growing critical-minerals demand is pulling attention toward Africa, while a separate analysis warns that refining remains highly concentrated, making supply-chain security hard even when mining expands. Logistics Innovation: Côte d’Ivoire is expanding drone delivery for medical supplies via Zipline, pointing to broader African growth in drone last-mile logistics as regulators tackle safety and airspace rules. Energy Access (Madagascar Angle): A spotlight on Madagascar’s severe electricity crisis highlights reliance on costly diesel generation and the challenge for Jirama under price caps, as solar deployment is discussed as a potential path forward. Cybercrime Crackdowns: U.S. action against the Xinbi Guarantee scam marketplace is linked to wider fraud-fighting efforts, including mention of Madagascar-related takedowns of Chinese-run scam compounds.

Tourism & Air Connectivity: Emirates signed or renewed tourism deals with seven destinations at Arabian Travel Market 2026, including a new partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to support the goal of attracting one million tourists by 2028. Mining & Processing: China’s Shenghe Resources has started construction of a heavy mineral sands processing plant in Pangani, positioning Tanzania as a regional hub—relevant for Madagascar’s own mineral value-add ambitions. Aquaculture & Forest-Livelihoods: UNESCO-backed training is helping communities in Marojejy’s Ala Fady area scale fish farming, linking better feed practices to conservation of the forest that supplies water for livelihoods. Energy & Electrification: A look at solar deployment highlights Madagascar’s severe power constraints and the high cost of diesel generation, underscoring why grid and off-grid solar investment matters now. Cybercrime Crackdown: U.S. action against the Xinbi Guarantee scam marketplace also references Madagascar-linked enforcement against Chinese-run scam compounds, pointing to ongoing regional pressure on fraud networks.

Mining & Processing: Chinese Shenghe Resources has started building a heavy mineral sands Mineral Separation Plant in Pangani, Tanzania, positioning the country as a regional processing hub for raw materials shipped from other African states including Madagascar. Critical Minerals Supply Chains: A new analysis warns that refining is far more concentrated than mining, with the top three refiners producing about 86% of refined output in 2024—making diversification hard even as new mines open. Energy Access in Madagascar: A spotlight on Madagascar’s solar push highlights how low electrification and costly diesel generation keep power out of reach, while rising oil prices and financing/skills gaps slow PV rollout. Scam Economy & Enforcement: US authorities seized Telegram-linked crypto wallets and restrained $52M tied to Xinbi Guarantee, while separate actions in Madagascar targeted 13 Chinese-run scam compounds—showing how digital fraud networks can span borders. Local Conservation & Research: Stony Brook University named Cortni Borgerson as associate director for CVB/ICTE, focusing on Madagascar community conservation and language-linked research that connects livelihoods and biodiversity. Industry & Trade: FAW-Volkswagen launched the Jetta VS5 and VS8 SUVs in Madagascar, touting localized tuning plus shipping, parts supply, and after-sales support.

Cybercrime Crackdown: U.S. authorities moved against Xinbi Guarantee, restraining about $52M in crypto and seizing Telegram channels tied to scam vendors; the DOJ says a separate team helped Madagascar take down 13 Chinese-run scam compounds. Energy & Industry: A new analysis on “Solarize Africa” spotlights Madagascar’s power crunch—low electrification, reliance on hydropower and diesel, and Jirama’s loss-making operations—arguing solar deployment is accelerating but still constrained by financing and policy. Auto Imports: FAW-Volkswagen launched the Jetta VS5 and VS8 SUVs in Madagascar, with local distributor Sodiama SA and a support plan for shipping, parts, and after-sales service. Conservation & Community Data: Stony Brook’s ICTE/Centre ValBio added Cortni Borgerson as associate director, focusing on how Malagasy language and local knowledge shape conservation work and livelihoods. Climate Risk: Coverage on El Niño warns of mixed impacts across Africa, with drought risk flagged for parts of Southern Africa including Madagascar.

Automotive & Trade: FAW-Volkswagen launched the Jetta VS5 and VS8 in Madagascar, with local distributor Sodiama SA and a support plan covering shipping, parts supply and after-sales service—aimed at buyers seeking German-engineered family SUVs tuned for local roads and climate. Energy & Power Costs: A new analysis highlights Madagascar’s severe electricity crisis, where low electrification and reliance on hydropower plus diesel generators keep power expensive, with Jirama operating under loss pressures from price caps. Climate Services & Nature-Based Adaptation: Researchers interviewed 530 people across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and South Africa on whether climate information is actually usable for mangrove, rangeland and urban greening projects that protect livelihoods. Weather Risk for Food: El Niño-linked forecasts flag drier-than-average conditions for Madagascar alongside other Southern Africa countries, raising planting and crop-establishment risks. Public Safety & Transport: A bus crash in Antananarivo’s Ambohidahy Tunnel killed 2 and injured 9 after a reported brake failure; authorities impounded the bus and opened an investigation.