Madagascar Art & Culture Export: Collector Hasnaine Yavarhoussen’s backing helped make Madagascar’s debut at the Venice Biennale possible and is now feeding longer-term support via Fonds Yavarhoussen and Hakanto Contemporary. Forest Stewardship & Livelihoods: A new look at southwestern land use highlights how rotational grazing, seasonal harvesting and controlled slash-and-burn practices help keep dry forests resilient—guided by taboos and customary rules. Energy & Industry Finance: Axian Telecom reported $980m revenue for H1 (+26.5%) as profit fell, while customer growth and tower expansion point to continued telecom infrastructure buildout. AI Labor Hidden in Plain Sight: A sociologist says “data workers” across countries including Madagascar are deliberately kept out of view, even as they train and maintain AI systems. Critical Minerals Push: US funding targets rare-earth and battery supply chains, while Madagascar-linked rare-earth financing and graphite offtake deals underscore how mining investment is moving from talk to contracts. Trade & Logistics Pressure: With Hormuz traffic down sharply, shipping disruptions remain a real cost risk for island supply chains. Port Security: The US Coast Guard kept Madagascar on its port-security restriction list, raising compliance burdens for vessels calling there. Rural Solar Expansion: Yellow’s Series C backs growth of PAYG solar and smartphone financing, including in Madagascar. Vanilla Value Chain Signals: Market reports keep pointing to premium, traceable vanilla demand—an angle Madagascar producers can leverage.