High Commissioner - Other (mainly Former, Colonial) Empires & Protectorates - French

French

Originally the French word Haut Commissaire, or in full Haut Commissaire de la république (High Commissioner of the Republic), was rarely used for governatorial functions, rather (Lieutenant-)gouverneur(-général) and various lower titles. Exceptions were:

• since 22 March 1907, the colonial Gouverneur of New Caledonia was also appointed as High Commissioner in the Pacific Ocean, to coordinate with the governors of the French Settlements in Oceania and the Governors-general of French Indochina; the French resident commissioner of the Anglo-French condominium Nouvelles Hébrides and the Residents to the island protectorates of Wallis and Futuna were subordinated to him
  • once Charles de Gaulle named someone else as High Commissioner for the French Territory of the Pacific and the Far East, January 1941 – 1945: Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu (b. 1889 – d. 1964), while in December 1941 the Vichy (pro-German) government named Jean Decoux (b. 1884 – d. 1963) to the post (who in fact was only responsible for Wallis and Futuna, which was the only Pacific territory not to have rallied to the Free French at that time).
• In Atlantic waters, from 14 September 1939 till September 1943, four French Possessions in the Americas (French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique, all in the Caribbean, as well as Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, off the Canadian coast) were temporarily grouped together (from June 1940 under Vichy France, so remaining on the Allied side). The two consecutive 'High Commissioners in the Antilles' (quite a misleading title: French Guyana is in continental South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon off the Canadian coast, so in North America) held both administrative authority over the local Governors and equivalent officers (rather like a gouverneur général did elsewhere on a permanent basis) and military command in the 'Theater Atlantic West':
  • 14 September 1939 – 14 July 1943 Georges Robert (b. 1875 – d. 1965)
  • 14 July 1943 – September 1943 Henri Hoppenot (b. 1891 – d. 1977)

In the later period of decolonisation, the office of High Commissioner in a colony to become an allied nation was intended to become remarkably analogous to the Commonwealth's 'close relationship diplomats' in President General De Gaulle's project for a French Union to match the Commonwealth, but it soon started to fall apart, so they actually just presided over most of the peaceful decolonisation.

• Algérie (Algeria), once similar to Tunis, but incorporated directly into the French Republic, got its only High commissioner on 19 March 1962: Christian Fouchet (b. 1911 – d. 1974), until its 3 July 1962 independence from France (Algerian State; 25 September 1962 People's Democratic Algerian Republic ruled by the FLN, the former armed revolt)
• in present Benin, since 13 October 1946 Dahomey overseas territory, on 4 December 1958 granted autonomy as Republic of Dahomey, the last (acting) governor, René Tirant (b. 1907), stayed on as only High commissioner till the 1 August 1960 independence
• Chad, since 27 October 1946 an overseas territory of France (part of AEF colony) under its own Governor, shortly after it was on 28 November 1958 granted autonomy as Republic of Chad, had a single High Commissioner from 22 January 1959: Daniel Marius Doustin (b. 1920) until its 11 August 1960 independence from France.
• Congo-Brazzaville (variously named, often Middle Congo) had a single High commissioner, a bit after it was granted on 28 November 1958 autonomy (as Republic of Congo), 7 January 1959 – 15 August 1960: Guy Noël Georgy (b. 1918 – d. 2003) after many Lieutenant governors since 11 December 1888 (under the governor-general of AEF, except the several cases when he governed the French Congo personally); afterwards it was an independent republic
• Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) had two High Commissioners since it was granted autonomy as republic of Ivory Coast:
  • 4 December 1958 – 15 July 1960 Ernest de Nattes (b. 1908), the last of the long list of governors since 10 March 1893 (colony till 27 October 1946, then overseas territory)
  • 15 July 1960 – 7 August 1960 Yves René Henri Guéna (b. 1922); thereafter it was an independent republic
• Gabon had two High Commissioners since on 28 November 1958 autonomy was granted (as Gabonese Republic) to the former overseas territory (since 1946)
  • November 1958 – July 1959 Louis Marius Pascal Sanmarco (b. 1912), also the last of the Governors since 1941 (after various otherwise styled chief executives before; it had since 15 January 1910 been part of French Equatorial Africa, AEF)
  • July 1959 – 17 August 1960 Jean Risterucci (b. 1911 – d. 1982); thereafter it was an independent republic
• Mauritania had two High commissioners, after having been a protectorate since 12 May 1903 (under a single military Commandant), from 18 October 1904 the French civil territory of Mauritania under a Commissioner (part of French West Africa (AOF); under its Governor-general in Dakar, Senegal), and since 12 January 1920 a French colony under a Lieutenant governor (many incumbents, again under Dakar), on 28 November 1958 obtaining autonomy (as Islamic Republic of Mauritania):
  • 5 October 1958 – February 1959 Henri Joseph Marie Bernard (b. 1920)
  • February 1959 – 28 November 1960 Amédée Joseph Émile Jean Pierre Anthonioz (b. 1913 – d. 1996); since independence from France it had its own President (or a junta chief);
• In Niger, since 13 October 1946 an overseas territory of France (part of French West Africa, see Senegal) under a lieutenant-governor, on 19 December 1958 granted autonomy as Republic of Niger, there was a single High commissioner 25 August 1958 – 10 November 1960: Jean Colombani (b. 1903), i.e. still several months after the formal 3 August 1960 independence whilst there was no President
• In Senegal, since 27 October 1946 an overseas territory of France, which on 25 November 1958 had obtained autonomy (as Republic of Senegal), the last Governor stayed on as first (and only?) Haut commissaire 25 November 1958 – 20 June 1960: Pierre Auguste Michel Marie Lami (b. 1909); meanwhile on 4 April 1959 the Sudanese Republic (now Mali) and Senegal formed the Mali Federation and his term ended at the 20 June 1960 independence of that Mali Federation from France (on 20 August 1960 the Republic of Senegal withdrew from the thus dissolved Mali Federation).
• in French Sudan, an overseas territory of France since 27 October 1946 (earlier a colony; stayed within French West Africa), which on 24 November 1958 obtained autonomy (as Sudanese Republic), there were two High commissioners:
  • 3 November 1956 – 24 November 1958 Henri Victor Gipoulon
  • 24 November 1958 – 20 June 1960 Jean Charles Sicurani (b. 1915 – d. 1977); during his term on 4 April 1959 this Sudanese Republic and Senegal (cfr. above) united to form the Mali Federation; his office ceased at the 20 June 1960 independence of the Mali Federation from France
• In the Republic of Upper Volta (since 4 January 1947 a French territory; present Burkina Faso, renamed 4 August 1984), since the 11 December 1958 grant of Autonomy as a 'republic', République de Haute-Volta, there were two High commissioners:
  • 11 December 1958 – February 1959 Max Berthet, who stayed on, having been the last (acting) Governor
  • February 1959 – 5 August 1960 Paul Jean Marie Masson (b. 1920), till the Independence from France as the Republic of Upper Volta.

While the colonies above were generally artificially carved creations, Haut commissaires also were appointed by Paris to prepare the (de facto) independence of pre-existing monarchies that had formally been French protectorates, such as:

• Tunisia, known as the Régence (since 3 June 1955 autonomous), where France had a Resident-general (posted with the Basha bey of Tunis, who once the French protectorate was terminated on 20 March 1956 restyled his realm al-Mamlaka at-Tunisiyya 'Tunisian Kingdom'), in stead got a High commissioner from 13 September 1955 to 20 March 1956: Roger Seydoux Fornier de Clausonne (b. 1908 – d. 1985); in continued shortly as independent monarchy, but on 25 July 1957 became the Tunisian Republic.

Yet a colony could achieve independence without a High Commissioner, e.g. Guinée (French Guinea).

In one case a French Haut Commissaire was the exact match and colleague of a British High Commissioner: they represented both powers in the south sea condominium (i.e. territory under joint sovereignty) of the New Hebrides, which became the present republic of Vanuatu.Current High Commissioner of Vanuatu to USA David J. Wilson (b. 1956)

A very special category was the Haut Commissaire as 'liquidator' of a gouvernement-général (the colonial echelon grouping several neighbouring colonies under a Governor-general), notably:

• in Afrique Equatoriale Française (French Equatorial Africa, AEF), three High commissioners:
  • 4 April 1957 – 29 January 1958 Paul Louis Gabriel Chauvet (b. 1904), also the last of the long list of Governors-general since 28 June 1908 (before it had five Commissioners-general since 27 April 1886)
  • 29 January 1958 – 15 July 1958 Pierre Messmer (b. 1916)
  • 15 July 1958 – 15 August 1960 Yvon Bourges (b. 1921)
• in Afrique Occidentale Française (AOF), i.e. French West Africa, the last of a long list of Governors-general since 1895 stayed on as first of only two High Commissioners:
  • 4 April 1957 – July 1958 Gaston Custin (b. 1903 – d. 1993)
  • July 1958 – 22 December 1958 Pierre Messmer (b. 1916)

Another use for the title was found in the rare remaining insulara (formerly no longer colonial) overseas possessions, in these cases still functioning:

• In French Polynesia it is the title of the representative of the French republic in the overseas territory (restyled 'overseas collectivity' in 2003, 'overseas country' on 27 February 2004) since 13 July 1977 (until 14 September 1984 he also presided the local council of ministers, the that got its own president, as the legislature already had)
• In New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie in French, colonised in 1853; its Governors had been High Commissioners in the Pacific Ocean from 22 March 1907, see above) the title (commonly corrupted to Haussaire) was chosen for the chief executive on 19 December 1981, when it was an overseas territory (since 1946), even before autonomy was granted on 18 November 1984, and maintained after its status was changed on 20 July 1998 to the unique French collectivité sui generis; he represents the Paris government, while there are a native legislature and government.