LILONGWE (Reuters) – U.S. pop star Madonna is still keen on adopting a second child from Malawi, despite a court ruling in the southern African country preventing her from doing so, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

Madonna, who lost an appeal against a High Court decision refusing her bid to adopt a four-year-old girl named Mercy James, said she wants to provide education and a family environment for the young girl.

“I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and healthcare possible. And it’s my hope that she like David, will one day return to Malawi and help the people of their country,” Madonna told the Nation on Sunday newspaper in an emailed response to questions.

“Though I have been advised that I cannot publicly discuss the pending appeal regarding my desire to adopt Mercy, I do want to say how much I appreciate the level of support that I have received from the people of Malawi and my friends around the world.”

Malawi’s government came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old child, David Banda, in 2006, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.

Madonna’s lawyer, Alan Chinula, has already lodged a notice of appeal against the decision earlier this month but by last week the courts had not yet granted a date for the hearing.

In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.

“Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect,” she said.

Madonna has entertained millions around the world with sexy high-energy performances and songs like “Material Girl” and “Papa Don’t Preach,” and created controversies along the way.

The star, who was divorced last year from British film director Guy Ritchie, is one of the music industry’s most successful singers, with album sales of more than 200 million.

“She came in a convoy of four vehicles and used the cargo terminal to take-off in her jet,” the official at Lilongwe’s international airport told AFP.

The ruling will please campaigners who say authorities have given the singer special treatment. Malawi’s government, which came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old Malawian boy, had said on Thursday it would support a second adoption.

Court registrar Ken Manda told reporters Madonna’s bid to adopt Mercy had been rejected because the star was not a resident of Malawi.

An AIDS epidemic in the impoverished southern African state has produced more than one million orphans.

In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.

“Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect,” she said.

Madonna’s lawyer, Alan Chinula, said she would lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court on Friday. Her London spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.

Madonna has entertained millions around the world with sexy high-energy performances and songs like “Material Girl” and “Papa Don’t Preach,” and created controversies along the way.

In 1989, the video for “Like A Prayer,” with its links between religion and eroticism, was condemned by the Vatican and caused Pepsi-Cola to cancel a sponsorship deal with the star.

Madonna surprised fans in February by dedicating another of her hits, “Like a Virgin,” to the pope at a concert in Rome.

Malawian rights groups, who accused the government of skirting residency laws when Madonna adopted David Banda in 2006, opposed the latest adoption attempt as well.

Malawian Information Minister Patricia Kaliati told Reuters on Thursday that Madonna had helped in the country and was a worthy mother who was supporting over 25,000 orphans here.

Madonna, accompanied by David, arrived in Malawi on Sunday ahead of the court examination of her application.

The star, who was divorced last year from British film director Guy Ritchie, is one of the most successful singers of all time, with album sales of more than 200 million.

Jolie recently revealed plans to adopt from India when she met the child stars of multiple Oscar-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. When ten year old Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail asked the ‘Tomb Raider’ star why she had not adopted from his home country, she replied, “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.” Brangelina originally showed interest in adopting from India when they visited the country’s Priya Darshini Orphanage in 2006, but were too busy to finalise the details, a source told the Sunday Express.

Aside from Brangelina, the pop star Madonna revealed plans to adopt a second baby from Malawi. She’d like to adopt a baby girl from that impoverished african country. She already filed adoption papers for the youngster, whose identity has not been revealed.

Madonna is expected to appear in the High Court in the capital of Lilongwe next week to start the process for the second adoption. The singer’s rep had no comment.

Madonna recently told Malawi’s Nation newspaper that she wants a sister for her son David, 3, whom she adopted from the country. “Many people – especially our Malawian friends – say that David should have a Malawian brother or sister,” she told the paper in a rare interview. “It’s something I have been considering, but would only do if I had the support of the Malawian people and government.”

David’s father, Yohane Banda, tells PEOPLE that officials from Raising Malawi visited him last week to alert him to Madonna’s impending arrival. “I was told anytime Madonna is coming with my son and her other children,” said the soft-spoken tomato and onions farmer in a telephone interview. “They didn’t give me dates but they just said ’soon.’ ”