Johannesburg  - The Southern African Development Community on Thursday rejected Andry Rajoelina as Madagascar's interim president, saying the manner of his coming to power was "unconstitutional" and called on the international community to follow suit.

The 15-country regional economic grouping, of which Madagascar is a member, met in Swaziland to discuss Rajoelina's bloodless army- backed ouster of Marc Ravalomanana from the presidency this week.

Antananarivo - On his first working day as Madagascar's interim president Thursday Andry Rajoelina dissolved the national assembly and senate in advance of new elections he says will be held within only two years.

Rajoelina, who ousted ex-president Marc Ravalomanana from power on Tuesday after a seven-week campaign of street protests, also appointed more ministers to his interim government, including one - the education minister - from Ravalomanana's administration.

Antananarivo - The United States embassy in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of all non- critical embassy staff from the island.

The embassy said in a travel advisory that it had moved to "ordered departure" which meant that "non non-mission critical personnel and their families have been ordered to depart."

The embassy also urged private US citizens to "seriously consider the risks of staying."

Antananarivo - Madagascar's new interim President Andry Rajoelina is a former DJ with under two years experience in politics, none at national level, and who at 35 is five years too young to lead the country, according to the constitution.

Rajoelina's victorious bid to oust the democratically-elected Marc Ravalomanana as president through two months of street protests has startled the international community, both by its daring and disregard for the ballot box.

Antananarivo - Madagascar's constitutional court, the country's top court, on Wednesday confirmed Andry Rajoelina as the country's interim president, radio reports on the island said.

The court found that outgoing president Marc Ravalomanana's transfer of power to a panel of senior military officers, and their subsequent handover of power to the opposition leader, was constitutional, the reports said.

Rajoelina had asked the court to formalize his army-backed accession to power, which followed a two-month campaign of street protests.

Antananarivo  - Madagascar's neighbours in the Southern African Development Community have denounced the undemocratic character of the opposition's power grab after the military named populist opposition leader Andry Rajoelina interim president.

A group of senior military officers handed over the reins of power after being entrusted by departing President Marc Ravalomanana with running the country until new elections when he stepped down under pressure on Monday.

"We have categorically rejected the authority that Ravalomanana asked us to set up after his resignation," navy vice-admiral Hippolyte Ramaroson Rarison was quoted by local media as telling journalists.