| 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The order was deprecated by decree on 3 December 1963, and superseded by the Ordre National du Mérite.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.
Classes[]
The Order has three classes:
- Commandeur (Commander)
- Officier (Officer)
- Chevalier (Knight)
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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.
The original article can be found at [[Wikipedia:Ordre du Mérite Saharien |Ordre du Mérite Saharien]] and the edit history here.