New Caledonia: a lesson in responsibility

Un an year after the riots of May 13. For example, 2024, which left 14 dead and plunged New Caledonia into economic chaos, no one dared to dream of the scene that was played on Saturday July 12, at dawn, in the camera of a hotel of Bougival (Yvelines): two camps which were callednames and refused all dialogue agreed to explore An unprecedented institutional path.

If the process goes to its end. Similarly, the Pacific archipelago will become a “state of New Caledonia” within the Republic, new caledonia: lesson responsibility with attributes of sovereignty but, for the time being, not all. In addition, A construction of their kind whose childbirth sums up and marries all the complexity of the Caledonian file. Therefore, The scope of the commitment that was played on the wire. Nevertheless, after ten days of very tense exchanges led under the leadership of the Minister of Overseas, Manuel Valls, is indeed historic. Consequently, It is a lesson in responsibility, many, in times that run, could be inspired.

Admittedly. In addition, prudence is essential, nothing has yet been acted: the separatists and the non-independence who have taken the risk of engaging will now have to convince their base. Furthermore, This promises to be difficult on both sides. because the three self -determination referendums organized, between 2018 and 2021, to close the cycle of the Matignon and Noumea agreements Who had opened up, forty years earlier, in new caledonia: lesson responsibility the same atmosphere of violence in reality did not end anything.

By giving an increasingly narrow majority to non -independence. these consultations only exacerbated tensions between the loyalists, who have continued to want to push their advantage to the government, and the Kanaks, for whom the process opened in 1988 by Michel Rocard to overcome the drama of the Ouvéa cave could only lead to independence. In each camp, the most radical will be naturally tempted to see glass only half full.

The disastrous economic. social situation in which the archipelago finds itself today calls for responsibility. Victim of his divisions. new caledonia: lesson responsibility his inability to meet the expectations of the population, exposed to the strong pressure of economic circles, the Caledonian political class, largely discredited, needs to move on. Bougival’s conclave offers him a exit door.

Admittedly. the actors who agree to get involved play big, but they can also win big, because once the new institutional process is launched – the ambition is to get there very quickly, from next year -, the developments towards more or less independence will depend on the relationship of political force which will be created, over the elections, in the archipelago. Caledonian citizens, during the local elections, will thus have a crucial role in determining the future. As for the latest transfers of sovereign skills. they will depend on the Caledonian Congress with a qualified majority, and not on the State.

The fact that a economic reform pact accompanies the process is another sign of maturity. The Caledonian nickel crisis. much less competitive than that extracted in China and Indonesia, dissipated the illusion of an annuity to which the two camps hung over. An original development model is to be built. which implies mitigating tensions and maintaining for a few years at least a powerful financial support from the French State.

Open by a handful of brave. the perspective drawn up by the Bougival conclave does not seem completely out of reach.

new caledonia: lesson responsibility