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Union Africaine et Malgache

Organisation Commune Africaine et Malgache

image by António MARTINS-Tuválkin and Željko Heimer, 14 September 2023

Overview
The Flag
Variant of the flag
Use on stamps
Archived Sources

See also:

International Organizations

Overview

'Organisation Commune Africaine et Malgache'; the French-speaking States of Africa and Mauritius belong to it; it strives towards co-operation in political, economic, social, technical and cultural matters. The organisation, which since 1965 has this name, developed from the 'Union Africaine et Malgache' (UAM), of which in March 1961 the Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Niger, Dahomey, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), the Central African Republic, Senegal, Mauritania, Cameroon, Gaboon and Madagascar became members. Later Congo (Kinshasa), Ruanda, Togo became members; Mauritania stepped out. On the UAM-conference of April 1962 a common flag was adopted, for which according to the goals set by the organisation only the pan-African colors would be right. The example for the graphic design apparently was the flag of the European Council: on a green field 12 golden stars (here clearly identified as the founding members of the organisation) in a circle surrounding a red map with yellow fimbriation of not only all member-states, but of the whole continent including the island Madagascar.
Source: Arnold Rabbow, 'dtv-Lexikon politischer Symbole', 1970
Jarig Bakker, 30 July 1999

In 1961, the organization was created by the 12 states of the "group of Brazzaville": Cameroun, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Dahomey, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Upper Volta. It was first named Union africaine et malgache de coopération économique (UAM).

Here is the history of the organization's names:

1965 - African and Malagasy Common Organization (OCAM)
1971 - African, Malagasy and Mauritian Common Organization (OCAMM)
1974 - African and Mauritian Common Organization

Membership history:

Feb 1965: 13 members. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Dahomey, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Upper Volta
May 1965: + Rwanda = 14 members
June 1965: - Mauritania = 13 members
Jul 1965: + Congo (Léopoldville) =14 members
1971: + Mauritius = 15 members
1972 : - Zaire = 14 members
1973 (month unknown. January?) - Congo (Brazzaville) = 13 members
Jul 1973: - Cameroon, - Chad = 11 members
Aug 1973: - Madagascar = 10 members
Sep 1976: - Gabon = 9 members
Feb 1977: + Seychelles = 10 members
1978: - Seychelles = 9 members
1985: Dissolved

Olivier Touzeau, 16 September 2023

The Flag

Reconstruction; image by Jaume Ollé

Seen on Congo (Brazzaville) stamps at http://members.tripod.com/JFBlanc/congo/congo.html the flag of the Union Africaine et Malgache, a regional organisation which lasted at least until 1974: on a green background a red outlined map of Africa and Madagascar, around it a ring of 12 golden stars. {Editor's note: Madagascar is missing from this above image.]
Jean-François Blanc, 23 December 1998

At ebay.it there is an interesting stamp from Benin for sale, see http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300478872143
It shows a variant of the OCAM flag, at the occasion the first anniversary of this organization's founding in 1961.
The flag shown mainly differs in the fact, that the map of Africa is not shown in red, fimbriated yellow, but in background colour (turquoise), fimbriated yellow.
A similar stamp is already mentioned at here. Perhaps the stamp itself is mentioned at here.
M. Schmöger, 16 January 2011

The flag is said to have been adopted in April 1962: "The UAM adopted a flag in April 1962 that contained 12 gold stars on a green background. In the middle was a red outline map of Africa. The 12 gold stars are based on the European flag on the one hand, and on the other hand they symbolize the 12 UAM founding states of the Brazzaville Group. Regardless of the change in membership and turnover, the UAM flag was continued by the OCAM. [Arnold Rabbow: dtv-Lexikon politischer Symbole, Seite 169. München 1970]
Olivier Touzeau, 16 September 2023

Variant of the flag

image by António MARTINS-Tuválkin and Željko Heimer, 14 September 2023

Use on stamps

image located by Victor Lomantsov, 30 July 2015

Variant of the flag of L'Union Africaine et Malgache at the post stamps of Niger, 1962
Source: http://mnogomarok.ru/uplfile/catalog_item/20130531_3242.JPG
Victor Lomantsov, 30 July 2015

image located by Olivier Touzeau, 16 September 2023

I have found another example [above] of the emblem of the organisation. In 1968, it had 14 stars pointing upwards. Source: Guestbook of the OCAM, 1968. Obviously, the emblem of the organization changed and got 14 stars probably between in 1965 and at least until 1971, when it had 14 members. But the actual existence of a 14-stars flag remains to be proven. Stamps with an emblem with 15 stars can be seen too: emitted in Chad (1971) and Togo (1972): see https://www.histoire-et-philatelie.fr/pages/005_decolonisation/1220_ex-colonies_2.html In 1979, when the 14-stars flag appeared on a stamp, the organization had 9 members left.
Olivier Touzeau, 16 September 2023

image located by Olivier Touzeau, 16 September 2023

On the website Olivier Touzeau gave the link, we can see the 14 stars on the flag drawn on a stamp from 1979 on the occasion of the Summit of March 20 in Cotonou.
Jean-Marc Merklin, 17 September 2023

Archived sources

https://ghostarchive.org/archive/uF425
https://archive.ph/fNIci
https://web.archive.org/web/20230917224911/https://www.ebay.fr/itm/254238522927
https://ghostarchive.org/archive/QIOM9
https://archive.ph/FYXOa
https://web.archive.org/web/20230917224914/https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JOwAAOSwodNc48WF/s-l1600.jpg

António MARTINS-Tuválkin, 17 September 2023