Pacific Islands Forum Fact-Finding Mission Dates Confirmed - New Caledonia President

Monday, 21 October 2024, 9:14 pm
Article: RNZ

Patrick Decloitre, Correspondent French Pacific Desk

New Caledonia's President Louis Mapou confirmed on Sunday a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) fact-finding mission will finally take place next week.

The much-awaited travel has now been agreed to take place from 27 to 29 October, Mapou confirmed during an interview with local public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la 1ère.

The timeframe of October had already been mentioned on the French part late August after talks during the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Summit in Nuku'alofa.

The mission was initially to take place from 20-24 August, ahead of the leaders' meeting.

However, it was postponed due to differences between France (the administering power) and New Caledonia's local government.

The mission's new timing was said to have been agreed in principle by New Caledonia's pro-independence government President Mapou.

The New Caledonia situation was prominent during the PIF meeting with both French and New Caledonian delegations (led by Mapou) were present in Tonga.

"The events that have unfolded are hard, of an extreme gravity and in a certain way are contributing to the region's instability", pro-independence Mapou was quoted as saying at the time.

The Forum mission intends to visit the troubled French Pacific territory to get a first-hand assessment of the ongoing unrest that started on 13 May.

It has already caused thirteen deaths (eleven civilians and two French gendarmes), an estimated €2.2 billion in material damage, the destruction at various levels of some eight hundred businesses, close to 20,000 job losses and a local economy described as now being on its knees.

The mission, to be led by a group of four PIF-member States heads of governments, responds to an initial request from Mapou.

"The Forum has expressed the wish to visit one member of its family," Mapou said on Sunday.

"This is what is called a 'troika', consisting of Heads of PIF member governments, Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands."

Public order and the rule of law

Speaking mid-August, in an interview with local Radio Rythme Bleu (RRB), French ambassador for the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan gave more details on what the French position would be in welcoming the Pacific leaders' troika.

She said she anticipated the troika's visit would mainly focus on "the key elements of this crisis".

"One is security, public order and the necessity to restore it. And the control and respect of the rule of law."

The other was "social and economic stability".

"The mission will have a look and discuss with everyone, all the players in this crisis, in the reconstruction, those who have lost so much."

"[The PIF troika members] will also be able to see for themselves the damage caused by a handful of rioters. And I think I should stress that those rioters do not represent what the majority of [New] Caledonians wants."

The French diplomat also mentioned the destruction of businesses, religious buildings, education buildings, health services.

"All these relate to fundamental rights recognised by international law", she pointed out.

But she said she hoped there would be consensus on a condemnation of any form of violence and a support for "free democratic process" and "dialogue".

"We have to continue the dialogue; I believe this is also what the Pacific Islands Forum believes".

"We are in a situation where all the information is available for all to see...and move towards a solution that is within the framework of international public law with regards to self-determination and the resolution taken by the United Nations General Assembly.

She said the UN General Assembly's resolution 1541, which defines the notion of self-determination, offers three possibilities.

According to General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV), a Non-Self-Governing Territory can be said to have reached a full measure of self-government through:

• Emergence as a sovereign independent State;
• Free association with an independent State;
• Integration with an independent State.

"It's all about the rule of law, always the rule of law, nothing but the rule of the law", she said.

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