Minister of the Colonies (Belgium)

The Belgian Minister of the Colonies (, ) 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.

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 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). 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.

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" while Walter Ganshof van der Meersch was "Minister without portfolio, charged with general affairs in Africa".

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

Political parties Christian Democrat , later:

Liberal

Socialist

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Prime MinisterMonarch(Reign) Took office Left office Time in office Jules Renkin 30 October 1908 21 November 1918 Catholic Party Frans SchollaertCharles de BroquevilleGérard Cooreman Albert I(1909–34) Louis Franck 21 November 1918 11 March 1924 Liberal Party Léon DelacroixHenri Carton de WiartGeorges Theunis Henri Carton de Tournai 11 March 1924 20 May 1926 Catholic Party Georges TheunisAloys Van de VyvereProsper Poullet Maurice Houtart(First term) 20 May 1926 15 November 1926 Catholic Party Henri Jaspar Édouard Pecher 16 November 1926 27 December 1926 Liberal Party Henri Jaspar Maurice Houtart(Second term) 29 December 1926 18 January 1927 Catholic Party Henri Jaspar Henri Jaspar(First term) 18 January 1927 19 October 1929 Catholic Party Own government (First term) 19 October 1929 24 December 1929 Catholic Party Henri Jaspar Henri Jaspar(Second term) 27 February 1930 18 June 1931 Catholic Party Own government 18 May 1931 16 August 1931 Extra-Parliamentary(Catholic) Henri JasparJules Renkin 6 June 1931 25 May 1932 Catholic Party Jules Renkin Paul Tschoffen(Second term) 23 May 1932 13 November 1934 Catholic Party Jules RenkinCharles de Broqueville Paul Charles(Second term) 20 November 1934 25 March 1935 Extra-Parliamentary(Catholic) Georges Theunis 25 March 1935 27 April 1938 Catholic Party Paul van ZeelandPaul-Émile Janson Leopold III(1934–44) Albert De Vleeschauwer(First term) 15 May 1938 22 February 1939 Catholic Party Paul-Henri Spaak 21 February 1939 16 April 1939 Extra-Parliamentary(Catholic) Hubert Pierlot Albert De Vleeschauwer(Second term) 16 April 1939 31 January 1945 Catholic Party Hubert Pierlot 12 February 1945 16 June 1945 Catholic Party Achille Van Acker Prince CharlesRegent(1944–50) (First term) 2 August 1945 18 February 1946 Liberal Party Achille Van Acker Lode Craeybeckx 13 March 1946 20 March 1946 Belgian Socialist Party Paul-Henri Spaak Robert Godding(Second term) 31 March 1946 11 March 1947 Liberal Party Achille Van AckerCamille Huysmans Pierre Wigny 20 March 1947 12 August 1950 Christian Social Party Paul-Henri SpaakGaston EyskensJean Duvieusart 15 August 1950 12 April 1954 Christian Social Party Gaston EyskensJean DuvieusartJoseph PholienJean Van Houtte Baudouin(1950–93) 23 April 1954 2 June 1958 Liberal Party Achille Van AckerGaston Eyskens Léo Pétillon 5 July 1958 6 November 1958 Extra-Parliamentary(Catholic) Gaston Eyskens 6 November 1958 2 September 1959 Christian Social Party Gaston Eyskens August De Schryver 3 September 1959 2 September 1960 Christian Social Party Gaston Eyskens Raymond Scheyven 17 November 1959 2 September 1960 Christian Social Party Gaston Eyskens Walter Ganshof van der Meersch 16 May 1960 20 July 1960 Extra-Parliamentary Gaston Eyskens Harold Charles d'Aspremont Lynden 2 September 1960 27 March 1961 Christian Social Party Gaston Eyskens

Minister of the Colonies (Belgium)

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