Thierry Lataste (born 31 January 1954 in Talence, Gironde Department)[1] is a senior French civil servant, who served as High Commissioner of New Caledonia from July to August 1994, 1999 to 2002, and again from 2016 to 2019.
[5] When he left the ENA in June 1982, Lataste was named civil administrator 2nd class of the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization.
At the end of this year, he becomes prefect, government delegate, High Commissioner of the Republic in New Caledonia.
[16] As chief of staff to Secretary of State for Overseas Jean-Jack Queyranne from 1997 to 2000, Thierry Lataste negotiated with New Caledonians following the Matignon agreements of 1988, he was one of the main negotiators of the Nouméa Accord that he signed on 5 May 1998 as representative of the Secretary of State for Overseas.
[18] As the high commissioner of the Republic in New Caledonia, he was especially confronted with the violent clashes which from December 2001 opposed certain Kanak inhabitants of the Saint-Louis tribe to members of the Wallisian and Futunian community.