Emirates cancels Madagascar service as civil unrest continues

Dubai’s Emirates airline has cancelled its Madagascar service for September 26 because of the ongoing civil unrest.

Flights EK707 from Dubai to Antananarivo and EK708 from Antananarivo to Dubai have been cancelled, the airline said.

“Customers impacted by the cancelled flights from Dubai to Antananarivo will be rebooked and receive the updated booking on the email address in the booking,” the airline said.

The government of the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar on Thursday imposed a nighttime curfew following protests, which saw police use rubber bullets and tear gas to quash demonstrations over ongoing water and power cuts.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets to voice their anger over persistent power cuts, which often leave homes and businesses without electricity for over 12 hours.

The protesters barricaded roads with burning tyres and rocks. By Thursday afternoon there were reported incidents of looting at various retailers, appliance stores and banks across the capital.

Several stations of the country's new cable car system were also set on fire.

Local media reported on Thursday that three homes of politicians known to be close to President Nirina Rajoelina were also attacked by protesters.

Police Chief Angelo Ravelonarivo announced that a nighttime curfew from 7pm on Thursday to 5am on Friday would be strictly imposed until calm was restored.

According to Ravelonarivo, the decision was taken to better protect the population.

The water and electricity situation had become "unbearable," said a woman in her sixties, who asked not to be named for fear of arrest.

She blamed it on corruption, "arbitrariness" and a "lack of transparency among our leaders".

The protest, mobilised largely on social media, drew mostly young demonstrators and no political figures were seen among the crowd.

Rajoelina, 51, was re-elected late last year for a third term in a vote boycotted by the opposition and with less than half of registered voters participating.

He first came to power in 2009, leading a popular movement and benefiting from a coup that ousted former president Marc Ravalomanana. After not contesting the 2013 election due to international pressure, he was voted back into office in 2018.

During his time in power, Madagascar's economic fortunes have not significantly improved, with many challenges remaining unaddressed.

Some 75 percent of the country's estimated 30 million population lived below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.

With inputs from agencies