Madagascar historically has remained outside the mainstream of African affairs, although it is a member of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Organization of African Unity (now renamed the AU), the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA), and the Non-Aligned Movement.
The two countries concluded a commercial convention in 1867 and a treaty of peace, friendship, and commerce in 1881.
Traditionally warm relations suffered considerably during the 1970s, when Madagascar expelled the U.S. ambassador, the USA closed a NASA tracking station, allied with the USSR, and nationalized two U.S. oil companies.
Recent U.S. assistance has contributed to a population census and family planning programs; conservation of Madagascar's remarkable biodiversity, private sector development, agriculture, democracy and governance initiatives; and media training.
Madagascar became the first country with a Millennium Challenge Account compact when it signed an agreement worth $110 million in April 2006.
[162] During the 2009 Malagasy political crisis, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is "concerned by the increased frequency of attempts on the African continent to resort to non-constitutional methods of solving internal political problems."
He went on to say that, in addition to increasing economic and social problems, the use of force is of concern and runs counter to democratic principles, whilst affirming Russia's support of the African Union's position.