Antananarivo: French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his desire to "create the conditions" for forgiveness regarding France's colonial legacy during an official visit to Madagascar. Speaking at the former royal palace of Rova in Antananarivo, he recognized the painful and bloody chapters of French colonial history on the island.

According to Anadolu Agency, Macron emphasized the need for a collaborative approach involving historians from both France and Madagascar to examine their shared colonial past. He asserted the importance of "truth, memory, history, and reconciliation" in moving forward. Macron highlighted the symbolic and personal connection necessary for mourning past events that no longer exist.

France's colonial rule in Madagascar began in 1896 after a military campaign against the Merina monarchy. Historical reports estimate that between 11,000 and 90,000 people were killed, with accounts of mass executions, torture, and brutality, especially in the island's eastern regions. Madagascar remained under French control until it gained independence in 1960.

Macron is the fifth French president to visit Madagascar and only the second to undertake a state visit, following predecessors Charles de Gaulle, Francois Mitterrand, Jacques Chirac, and Francois Hollande. His visit is part of a broader tour of the Indian Ocean region, which included Mayotte and La Reunion earlier in the week.

The French President attended the 5th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) in Madagascar, which includes member countries Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, and France through its overseas department of Reunion. In recent years, France has taken symbolic steps to address its colonial past in countries like Algeria and Cameroon, although discussions around formal apologies and reparations continue.