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Commissioned by the EVD, the Dutch government International TradeAgency, NABC will organize an economic mission to Madagascar.

Madagascar is an island with a unique flora and fauna east of Southern Africa witha surface of approximately the size of France and the Benelux. The agribusiness sector in Madagascar offers many interesting opportunities thanks to the favourable climate and the competitive wage level. Besides the agribusiness sector, many opportunities arise in infrastructure, energy, mining, light manufacturing (e.g. textile) and tourism (e.g. ecotourism). With an average economic growth of 6 per cent per annum in the last five years and with a Malagassy government that is explicitly welcoming companies from the Netherlands, this is a very promising emerging market. The mission will visit the capital Antananarivo, the port of Tamatave and the agricultural centre Antsirabe. Via the links below, you will be able to access the elaborate fact sheet, the preliminary programme and the registration form. For more information, please contact Bob van der Bijl (b.vanderbijl@nabc.nl).

» Factsheet, pdf
» Programme, pdf
» Registration form, doc
? Wervingsbrief, doc (dutch)
» Foreign trade Madagascar Imports, doc
» Foreign trade Madagascar Exports, doc

Investor's Testimonial

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä was founded in 1834 in Finland and is the leading global supplier of ship power and a major global provider of decentralised power generation systems and supporting systems covering the range up to 300 MW. Wärtsilä has been active in Madagascar for a while now. The need for reliable power generation capacity was the reason it entered the Malagasy market. In 2006 it was awarded a turnkey project to deliver a 23.8 MW power plant for the QMM mine at Fort Dauphin in the South-East. After completion Wärtsilä will operate and maintain the power plant. In that same year it was also awarded an other project to build a 40 MW power plant for the Madagascar water and power company Jirama. This project was finished in 2007. Furthermore, Wärtsilä has been active in some small rehabilitation projects and the production of 2 smaller mobile power plants in Majunga and Tamatave. There are great opportunities that lie in the energy sector such as supply of equipment and supporting services, according to Vice President Theo van Essen, although the Malagasy market is not yet ready for internationally bankable IPP's. ?Madagascar has an increasing need for investments in (basic) infrastructure,' says Van Essen. 'Basically all sectors related to infrastructure can be identified as emerging, for example, electricity, roads, ports, mining and hospitals. Also, 5-star tourism has a promising future.'
Institutional circumstances have improved very much in the last years. 'Compared to the earlier years of this decade Madagascar has a very stable government now. The Malagasy government is very supportive in facilitating foreign companies and investors; especially the President himself (a former business man in dairy), his key Ministers and their respective high level civil servants (SG's).' Entering the Malagasy market you will face the same difficulties that you would face entering any other emerging market, although Van Essen stresses that, 'for what it's worth, Madagascar is not Africa.'
Finally, Van Essen is positive about the Malagasy workforce: 'As said, Madagascar is not like any other Sub-Saharan African country. The very same applies to the Malagasy; as friendly and hospitable as the rest of Africa, however somewhat shy or even reserved. The workforce has ample experience in various fields and sectors at most levels. It is required to have good command of the French language though. Considering this, I hope it will not be a bad omen this testimonial had to be given in English'.'