New World Bank office in Madagascar

The World Bank has opened a new regional office for the Indian Ocean nations of Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

It was opened in the Madagascar capital, Antananarivo, by the World Bank's regional director, Hafez Ghanem, who said that the bank needed increased effectiveness and a more rigorous role in the Indian Ocean region.

Madagascar's relationship with the World Bank dates back to 1966, when it lent the country $12m; now, it is running projects worth some $800m there.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service