A significant burden on public finances

Faced with a debt of nearly €150 million related to the cable car system, Paris says it is ready to discuss the sustainability and gradual recommissioning of the system by the end of 2026.

French Ambassador Arnaud Guillois stated on June 20, 2026, that Paris is ready to discuss the debt and management model of the Antananarivo cable car “at any time,” while Madagascar aims for a gradual recommissioning by the end of 2026 to alleviate the financial burden.

On June 20, 2026, in Antaninarenina, the French Ambassador to Madagascar, Arnaud Guillois, stated that Paris was prepared to reopen dialogue with the Malagasy authorities regarding the debt and the future of the Antananarivo cable car system, whose gradual recommissioning is now a stated government objective by the end of 2026. The Ambassador indicated that France remained available “at any time” to discuss the matter, including its financial and contractual aspects.

According to the Malagasy authorities, the debt associated with the Antananarivo cable car project amounts to nearly €150 million, or more than 780 billion ariary, to be repaid by 2034, making it a significant burden on public finances. The French Ministry of the Economy and Finance points out that the cable car lines in Antananarivo were financed through concessional loans aimed at improving urban mobility along approximately 12 km of track and saving daily time for more than 80,000 users. The issue of sustainability is now central to bilateral discussions.