signing of an agreement for a “state of New Caledonia” within the Republic

The political forces of New Caledonia, favorable or opposed to the independence of this French South Pacific archipelago, signed a “New Caledonia State” on Saturday within the Republic, after decades of a difficult process of decolonization and the deadly riots in 2024.

This draft agreement on the institutional future of the territory. Moreover, sealed after ten days of closed discussions near Paris, also provides for a new Caledonian nationality and a progressive transfer of certain sovereign skills.

“A state of New Caledonia in the Republic: this is the bet of confidence. Meanwhile, ” said French President Emmanuel Macron, welcoming a “historic” agreement.

By later receiving the signatories to the Élysée. Similarly, the Head of State considered that “after two agreements and three referendums, New Caledonia, by what you signed, opens a new page of its future in a serene link with signing agreement “state new caledonia” France”.

The Minister of Overseas. Therefore, Manuel Valls, underlined an “intelligent compromise” to him which maintains a link between Paris and the Caledonian capital Noumea, but with “more sovereignty for Caledonia”.

“Nothing is won,” warned the minister, calling for “convincing” the inhabitants of the archipelago. Nevertheless, The draft agreement, signed by Mr. Therefore, Valls. Similarly, the 18 delegates representing the political forces of the Congress of New Caledonia, must still be ratified on the spot by the constituents of the various delegations.

In the spring of 2024. the archipelago nicknamed “Le Caillou” had experienced several weeks of riots, which had killed 14 and more than two billion euros in damage. They had been triggered by a project to widen the electoral body in the Caledonian provincial election. disputed by the separatists who accused the French executive of wanting to reduce the Aboriginal Kanak population.

The archipelago. French since 1853, had signing agreement “state new caledonia” experienced strong tensions in the 1980s, with the boycott in 1984 of the territorial elections by the separatists and especially the hostage -taking and the assault of the Ouvéa cave in May 1988, during which 19 Kanak militants and six French soldiers had been killed.

The local political movements favorable to the maintenance of the archipelago in France welcomed themselves in a press release of “a historical agreement” allowing “to establish a new era of stability”. and which will allow “the reopening of the electoral body to many Caledonians”.

According to a loyalist source (non-independentist). the local electorate will be open to people living in New Caledonia for at least ten years from the provincial elections of 2031.

“Sovereign will”

For non-independence. the agreement “respects the sovereign will expressed by the Caledonians” during the three referendums organized in 2018, 2020 and 2021, which all ended by a “yes” to maintaining signing agreement “state new caledonia” France, and includes “concessions”, with “the transformation of the community of New Caledonia in the national state”.

The archipelago. populated by nearly 300,000 inhabitants, will retain “a status in France, with Caledonians who remain French”, underlined the non -independence deputy Nicolas Metzdorf in a reaction transmitted to AFP.

France has twelve ultramarine territories from colonization. located in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Antarctic Oceans.

“No more referendum (is) in sight except that which will be organized to validate this agreement. ” he added, now calling for economic recovery.

Entitled the “bet of confidence”. the draft agreement, transmitted to AFP, acts the creation of a Caledonian nationality, the inhabitants meeting the criteria of citizenship of the archipelago benefiting from the dual French and Caledonian nationality.

A “state of New Caledonia” inscribed in the Constitution of the French Republic will be created. which may be recognized by the international community. signing agreement “state new caledonia” This does not mean that New Caledonia will have a seat at the UN. Paris will support the archipelago in strengthening its capacities in the sovereign fields, specifies the text.

The agreement addresses the economy with an “economic. financial refoundation pact” which provides in particular a “strategic plan” for nickel, key resource of the territory.

It provides for the revival of a nickel processing activity in the northern province – mainly populated by Kanaks – where the Nickel factory closed last year. putting 1,300 unemployed employees.

The two chambers of the French Parliament must be gathered in Congress in Versailles. near Paris, during the last quarter to “constitutionalize” the agreement, before a local referendum aimed at having the Caledonians approved in February 2026.

Provincial elections. crucial on the archipelago because they derive the composition of the Congress and the Government of New Caledonia, should follow in May-June 2026.

According to signing agreement “state new caledonia” the constitutionalist Benjamin Morel, the future “state of New Caledonia” is close to an unprecedented “independence-association”. According to this expert. interviewed by AFP, “we go from a status which was a status of a classic colony to a status which is a more status of protectorate”.

By Thibault Marchand / AFP