Minister_of_the_Colonies_(Belgium)

Minister of the Colonies (Belgium)

Minister of the Colonies (Belgium)

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The Belgian Minister of the Colonies (French: Ministre des Colonies, Dutch: Minister van Koloniën) was a Belgian parliamentarian who was responsible for the territories of the colonial empire in Central Africa from 1908 to 1962, comprising the colony of the Belgian Congo (1908–60) and the international mandate of Ruanda-Urundi (1916–62). The exact title was changed on several occasions.

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Ministerial title

For most of the existence of the post, office holders were known as "Minister of the Colonies" (Ministre des Colonies or Minister van Koloniën). From the accession of Maurits Van Hemelrijck [nl] in November 1958, however, the ministerial title changed to "Minister of the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi" (Ministre du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi or Minister van Belgisch-Congo en Ruanda-Urundi).[1] On 30 June 1960, with the independence of the Belgian Congo, the title changed to "Minister of African Affairs" (Ministre des affaires africaines or Minister van afrikaanse zaken) whose only office holders were August de Schryver and Harold Charles d'Aspremont Lynden.[2]

In addition to official colonial ministers, two individuals served as ministers without portfolio with a colonial brief between 1959 and 1960. Raymond Scheyven was "Minister without portfolio, charged with the economic and financial affairs of the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi"[lower-alpha 1] while Walter Ganshof van der Meersch was "Minister without portfolio, charged with general affairs in Africa".[lower-alpha 2][1]

List of ministers

The following is a list of ministers, cited by historian Guy Vanthemsche in his book Belgium and the Congo, 1885-1980:[2]

Political parties
Christian Democrat

  Catholic Party, later:
  Christian Social Party

Liberal

  Liberal Party

Socialist

  Belgian Socialist Party

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See also

Notes

  1. Scheyven held the unique position of Minister without portfolio, charged with the economic and financial affairs of the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi (Ministre sans portefeuille, chargé des Affaires économiques et financières du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi or Minister zonder portefeuille, belast met de economische en financiële zaken van Belgisch-Kongo en Ruanda-Urundi).
  2. Ganshof van der Meersch held the unique ministerial position of "Minister without portfolio, charged with general affairs in Africa (Ministre sans portefeuille, chargé des affaires générales en Afrique or minister zonder portefeuille, belast met de algemene zaken in Afrika).
  3. Both Édouard Pecher and Edmond Rubbens died in office.[3]
  4. A career civil servant in the colonial service, Pétillon had previously served as Governor-General of the Belgian Congo from 1952 to 1958.

References

  1. [1]
    Vanthemsche 2012, p. 275.
  2. [2]
    Vanthemsche 2012, pp. 273–5.
  3. [3]
    Vanthemsche 2012, pp. 273–4.
  4. [4]
    "As from 2015 the FPS Foreign Affairs transfers the so-called 'Africa Archives' to the State Archives". Arch.be. 11 December 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017.

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