New Caledonia News

The arrival of the National Geographic cruise ship at the port of Easo, Lifou on Friday 18 October marked a decisive step towards stabilisation and a return to normality. New Caledonia Tourism Travel Weekly

The French Supreme Court will examine the appeal of five Kanak pro-independence activists – including their leader Christian Tein – who are challenging their detention in mainland France on suspicion of having played a role in the unrest in #NewCaledonia. Radio France Internationale

France's new Minister for Overseas, François-Noël Buffet, arrived in #NewCaledonia yesterday, five months after violent riots broke out. Buffet is scheduled to spend four days there, with high on his agenda to reaffirm France's commitment to New Caledonia's post-riots' recovery amid a backdrop of economic, social and societal collapse. Since the unrest started, New Caledonia has sustained significant damage to its economy, with an estimated total material cost of some €2.2 billion, over 800 businesses were looted and destroyed by arson, and close to 20,000 job lost. RNZ Patrick Antoine Decloitre

#NewCaledonia's newly-elected President of the Congress, Veylma FALAEO, has officially declared a controversial deal signed in April with the Parliament of Azerbaijan "null and void". Congrès de la Nouvelle-Calédonie Patrick Antoine Decloitre

French-owned historic #nickel mining company Société Le Nickel - SLN - ERAMET is putting its historic mining site in Thio (East Coast of the main island) into stand-by mode. RNZ Patrick Antoine Decloitre #NewCaledonia

A botched independence referendum in 2021 and an attempt to enfranchise recent arrivals caused long-simmering tensions between to explode in New Caledonia. Ethnic tensions between generally pro-independence Kanak people, already facing poor socioeconomic outcomes, and New Caledonians of European descent, nearly brought the territory to civil war. Despite the end of violence, its underlying causes have not been addressed, and further disputes may yet erupt. East Asia Forum John Connell

France’s new prime minister, Michel Barnier, has announced that a provincial election scheduled for December in #NewCaledonia has been postponed for a year. The Guardian

Recent government statements represent a major conciliatory effort by France. Lowy Institute

#NewCaledonia's controversial constitutional reform, which triggered violent unrest after a vote in the French National Assembly, will not go ahead, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier says. RNZ Patrick Antoine Decloitre

China’s covert foreign interference activities in the Pacific are a very important, and yet under-researched, topic. This report uses New Caledonia as the case study to examine China’s hidden front, throughout the wider Pacific. Australian Strategic Policy Institute