the 1958 general election represented a popular endorsement, by a sufficient albeit far from overwhelming majority, for a return to national leadership by charles de gaulle and for the new constitution which gave the president very significantly increased executive powers. claude hettier de boislambert had been a regular traveller to since the 1920s and had acquired a profound knowledge of the continent. on 14 june 1960 the général appointed him ambassador and high representative to the newly reconfigured mali federation. after its dissolution he served french ambassador to dakar (senegal) till 1962.