The French Consuls Facing Decolonisation in Madagascar, 1958-1961

L'independance de Madagascar fut proclamee le 26 juin 1960. Six hommes issus de l'administration coloniale francaise furent designes pour devenir les premiers consuls de France sur l'Ile rouge. L'installation des postes consulaires fut laborieuse. L'experience et les connaissances du territoire de ces consuls furent determinantes pour la reussite de cette entreprise. En effet, l'enjeu etait de taille : il fallait proteger plus de 67 000 Francais et eviter un potentiel exode vers la metropole.//On the 26th of June 1960, Madagascar's independance was proclaimed. Six French former colonial officials were chosen to become the first consuls of France on the Red Island. The establishment of the consulates was rough but successful thanks to the experience and the local knowledge of the consuls. Indeed, the protection of more than 67 000 French nationals in Madagascar and the risk of numerous repatriations were at stake. http://www.univ-paris1.fr/autres-structures-de-recherche/ipr /les-re vues/bulletin/tous-les-bulletins/bulletin-de-lipr-n43-meille urs-mem o ires-printemps-2016/ivan-rakotovao-les-consuls-issus-de-la-f rance-d o utre-mer-face-a-la-decolonisation-de-madagascar-1958-1961-th e-frenc h -consuls-facing-decolonisation-in-madagascar-1958-1961/] Reproduced by permission of Bibliothèque de Sciences Po