Penchard was since late 2007 a technical advisor at the French Presidency and at the same time in charge of French overseas matters within the ruling party UMP.
As a result of a reshuffle announced on Tuesday in Paris, she now becomes state secretary in charge of overseas territories, French president’s office secretary general Claude Guéant officially announced on Tuesday in Paris.
Her predecessor, Yves Jégo, had been in charge of the same portfolio since June 2008.
Since then, he has had to deal with grave civil unrest that erupted in some of France’s overseas departments, in the French Guadeloupe Island (West Indies), in March this year.
Penchard is originally from Guadeloupe island.
She becomes the first person from French overseas territories to take hold of a national ministerial portfolio directly related to these affairs.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to visit this region later this week.
In the Pacific region, the three French territories are New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna.
