Relations between Germany and Madagascar have traditionally been friendly and close, as attested by the German-Malagasy Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Trade signed in 1883.

The coup in Madagascar in 2009 and the severe political and economic crisis that subsequently endured until 2013 resulted in the temporary suspension of the bilateral development cooperation. Development cooperation was resumed in 2014 and currently focuses on environmental and resource protection and the promotion of renewable energies in rural areas, as well as food security and the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. Germany also supports Madagascar in the fields of decentralisation and fighting corruption, and provides humanitarian assistance above all in the south.

Germany is the second-largest bilateral donor after the US, and the largest donor in the environmental sector. In addition, Germany contributes to development in Madagascar through European Union and United Nations programmes.

The EU is Madagascar’s second-largest trading partner after China, with trade worth around 1.9 billion euro. Madagascar is interested in seeing international investors play a greater role and is also keen to enhance economic relations with Germany. Germany is currently one of the largest markets for agricultural products from Madagascar. It also exports to Madagascar, albeit on a smaller scale.

Cultural relations with Madagascar are fostered by the work of the Goethe-Zentrum / Cercle Germano-Malagasy (CGM) and through academic exchange (German Academic Exchange Service, Robert Koch Institute, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine) and meet with considerable interest. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has a significant presence in Madagascar, where it implements technical cooperation. The CGM promotes the German language by offering a large number of German courses and holding exams. The wide range of events that it organises has for decades made it a recognised and highly regarded institution in the cultural life of the capital Antananarivo.