Ordre du Mérite Saharien

Ordre du Mérite saharien
The medal of the officer
Awarded by France
Type	Order with three degrees: Commandeur Officier Chevalier
Awarded for	Service in the development of the Saharan regions
Status	Deprecated 3 December 1963 by the Ordre National du Mérite
Statistics
Established	4 April 1958
Distinct recipients	764: Cdr. 42, Off. 123, Chev. 602
Precedence
Next (higher)	Médaille militaire
Equivalent	Ordre National du Mérite
Next (lower)	Croix de guerre

The Ordre du Mérite saharien (Saharan Order of Merit) was established in 1958 as a reward for social, scientific, economic or administrative services rendered by French or foreign persons who participated in the development of Saharan regions. The medal is fashioned in the form of the Agades cross, a traditional emblem of the Tuareg clans of the Sultanate of Agadez, surrounding modern Agadez, Niger.

The order was deprecated by decree on 3 December 1963, and superseded by the Ordre National du Mérite. Extant members of the order are permitted to wear their original decorations.

References

• Marc Champenois (9 August 2008). "Ordre du mérite Saharien" (in French). Les décorations Francaises. http://www.france-phaleristique.com/meritsahar.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-06. 

Jean Hass. "Ordre du mérite Saharien 1958-1963". Symboles et Traditions. http://www.symboles-et-traditions.com/articlesdecorations/meritesaharien/page-merite.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-06. 

This article incorporates information from the revision as of February 2009 of the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.