Fuel Import Shake-Up in Madagascar: Madagascar’s state has started importing fuel directly for JIRAMA for the first time in nearly three decades, with a Aug. 12 diesel delivery (67 million litres) negotiated with Nigeria’s Sahara Group—after Law No. 021/2026 shifted responsibility from private distributors under the GPM framework to State Procurement, a change upheld by the Constitutional Court. Billionaire Contract Loss: The same restructuring ended a 27-year fuel import arrangement tied to Malagasy billionaire Hassanein Hiridjee’s Jovena, as government requisitioned storage and rerouted logistics under the new system. AU Peace Architecture Push: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah joined AU leaders in Luanda for an extraordinary AU session focused on conflict prevention and resolution, with AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf calling for urgent reforms including early warning and sustainable financing, citing crises that include Madagascar. US Global Health Funding Tension (Madagascar Included): A report by Public Citizen and Partners In Health says new US health MOUs cut funding for 18 low-income countries, including Madagascar, with underspending and steep co-financing requirements raising risks for patients. US Visa Processing Clarification: The US Embassy in Abuja says routine visa services were redirected to regional hubs from Aug. 1, but diplomatic and official A, G, and C visas will still be processed in Abuja. Biodiversity Update: International researchers report seven new species of Madagascar’s elusive diamond frogs, strengthening the scientific basis for conservation as forests face rapid loss.