French Ministry of State for Algerian Affairs (MEAA)
- ArchivalJM_RC_MEAA
- Συλλογικό Όργανο
- 1960-1964
1832-1871. The control of Algerian civil affairs was entrusted to the Minister of War from 1832 to 1870. In fact, the responsibilities of the Ministry of War for civil affairs in Algeria were devolved to the Ministry of the Interior. A decree of the following May 6 transferred to it the opening of the corresponding credits and a department for civil affairs in Algeria was created within it by the decree of November 8, 1871. The transfer of powers from the Minister of War to the Minister of the Interior was reflected in the administrative plan by a simple transfer of offices from one ministerial department to another.
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In 1905, the commission for the reorganization of the administration of the Ministry of the Interior, judging that the office of Algeria lacked means and authority, proposed to turn it into a directorate employing fourteen civil servants and made up of two offices, one in charge of administrative affairs, the other of economic and financial affairs. Five years after its creation, the Directorate of Algerian Affairs was merged with the Directorate of Control and Accounting by the decree of September 16, 1927. The Algerian offices thus became the fourth and fifth offices of the new Directorate of Control, Accounting and Algerian Affairs.
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Since 1943, the sub-directorate of Algeria has been composed of three offices: an office of political affairs, an office of administrative affairs, which resulted from a sharing of the functions of the former political office, and an office of economic affairs.
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By the ordinance of November 16, 1944 on the organization of the Ministry of the Interior, the sub-directorate of Algeria was attached to the general directorate of regional, departmental and communal administration of the Ministry and consisted of an office of the sub-director, and three offices: a political and social office, headed by Pierre Rosier (ALG-1), an administrative office headed by Maurice Michel (ALG-2), and an economic and financial office, headed by Edouard Léautier (ALG-3).
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Decree no. 49-242 of February 23, 1949 brought together the sub-directorate for Algeria and the office in charge of the overseas departments within a service for Algeria and the overseas departments and Algeria attached to the Ministry of the Interior and headed by Prefect Pierre Damelon. A fourth office was created in the subdirectorate of Algeria: the office of the subdirectorate thus created was called the office of coordination and social action.
1955-1956. After the outbreak of the Algerian war, the administration in charge of Algerian affairs was reinforced. The sub-directorate of Algeria was transformed into a directorate by a decree of 3 February 1955. The Minister of the Interior exercised powers in Algerian matters until February 16, 1956, when they were transferred to the President of the Council. On March 16, 1956, the law known as the "special powers" law was passed, giving the government increased powers in terms of reform and maintenance of order. Robert Lacoste then became Minister for Algeria and was in charge of the General Government services as well as the direction of Algerian affairs.
- General De Gaulle returned to power on June 1, 1958. He constantly tried to regain control of the Algerian situation and appointed a secretary general for Algerian affairs at his side. To carry out these missions, the Secretary General was assigned a cabinet and a study mission, the direction of Algerian affairs, various organizations and in general the public services and organizations of press, propaganda and economic action dependent on the Ministry of the Interior. He was also in charge of restructuring the ministerial services in charge of Algeria.
1960-1964. It was with the aim of preparing the negotiations with Algeria that General De Gaulle appointed Louis Joxe Minister of State in charge of Algerian affairs, by decree of 22 November 1960. The Prime Minister's powers regarding Algeria were then transferred to him. The General Delegate and the General Secretariat for Algerian Affairs were placed under his authority. The administration of the ministry is composed of a political affairs and information department, headed by Bruno de Leusse, Foreign Affairs Advisor. The department of administrative and social affairs was headed by Pierre Rosier, former deputy director of the Algerian affairs department, and consisted of an office of administrative affairs, an office of social affairs, and an office of the civil service. The department of economic and financial affairs was headed by Robert Rigard, former deputy director of the Algerian affairs department. The last department of the ministry was that of general affairs, headed by M. Dijon.
After the independence of Algeria, the organization of the ministry is naturally modified to face new attributions.