The new facility will act as a hub for cultural exchange and education, fostering dialogue between the two nations Russia and Madagascar will open a Russian House in Antananarivo. The plan was announced by Rossotrudnichestvo, Russia’s agency for cultural and humanitarian cooperation on Tuesday. The agreement followed talks in Moscow between the agency’s head Evgeny Primakov and Madagascar’s National Assembly Speaker Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko. Primakov said the new Russian House will act as a hub for cultural exchange and education, fostering dialogue between the two nations. He said Rossotrudnichestvo sees “great potential in expanding humanitarian cooperation” and called the opening “an important step” in forging closer ties.Randrianasoloniaiko welcomed the move, stressing the need “to continue developing partnership between Madagascar and Russia in various spheres based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and transparency.” The talks also included plans to increase scholarship quotas for Malagasy students to study at Russian universities and expanding youth participation in Russian-led international programs.Rossotrudnichestvo told Izvestia it currently works in 22 African nations, with eight official offices – in South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Zambia, Morocco, Congo, Tanzania and Tunisia – and 14 partner Russian Houses run by local partners.The agency’s partner network includes Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mali, Namibia, Niger (two offices), Somalia, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea.Russian Houses in these countries regularly hold lectures, seminars and events on history, education, science and literature. The Russian House in Niamey, Niger, hosted a conference, film screening, and photo exhibition for Russia’s National Unity Day on November 4. In Bamako, Mali, a concert was held at the local center on November 8 to mark 65 years of diplomatic ties.