Forum Troika’s Visit Highlights Value Of Regionalism For New Caledonia

Wednesday, 30 October 2024, 8:47 pm
Article: RNZ

Patrick Decloitre, Correspondent French Pacific Desk

Analysis - As a three-day fact-finding mission from a group of Pacific leaders draws to a close in New Caledonia, and with the outcomes report not expected before next year, the visit to the riot-hit French Pacific territory seems to have triggered a new sense of awareness locally about the values of Pacific regional mechanisms of "talanoa" embodied by the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Local President Louis Mapou stressed on several occasions during the visit that New Caledonia's situation was the "subject of much attention" in the Pacific region.

He suggested that one of the reasons for this could be because of a potential "spill-over" effect that could "jeopardise cohesion in the Pacific".

However, Mapou also stressed that he had received the message conveyed by the PIF troika plus group that "they're ready to take part in [New Caledonia's] reconstruction".

'New Caledonia's regional integration in its region'

Mapou said that one of the recurrent themes during the PIF visit was "New Caledonia's regional integration in its region".

"Whatever might be said, in many ways, New Caledonia does not know its [Pacific] region very well. Because it has this affiliation relationship to Europe and France that has prevailed over all these years", he told local media.

"So, in a certain way, we're just discovering our region. And in this process, the Pacific Islands Forum could bring a sort of leverage," he said.

New Caledonia, as well as French Polynesia - both French Pacific entities - became full members of the Pacific Islands Forum in 2016, after several years of "associate members" status.

Mapou said New Caledonia's current status vis-à-vis France was mentioned during talks with the PIF mission.

"I spoke with them about obstacles that should be removed, that are directly related to our current status. This is part of topics on which we should be working in future," he said.

"They're very open-minded, they don't have any preconceived ideas, they're happy to talk equally about the concepts of independence, just as they are for keeping [New Caledonia] within the French Republic", he revealed.

One of the unexpected outcomes, beyond the specific fact-finding mission that brought this PIF troika plus leaders' delegation to New Caledonia, seems to have underlined the values of regionalism, as well as New Caledonia's long-awaited and genuine integration in its "regional environment".

These values seem to have been recognised by all sides of New Caledonia's political spectrum, as well as all walks of life within the civil, economic, educational and religious society.

Pacific diversity in status

During the past few days, informal exchanges with the Pacific leaders have also allowed New Caledonia's authorities to share and compare possible ways forward regarding the territory's political status.

"They readily exchanged their own experiences with our government. The Cook Islands, which is a self-governing state in 'free association' with New Zealand; Tonga, which has never been colonised; and the Solomon Islands, who have also undergone inter-ethnic conflicts and where the young population was also involved. And Fiji, which obtained independence (in 1970), had decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth and is finally re-discussing its link with Great Britain", Mapou briefed local media on Tuesday.

The leaders spent three days (from 27 to 29 October) in the French Pacific territory to gather information on the ground, after destructive riots broke out in May, resulting in thirteen deaths and extensive economic damage estimated at €2.2 billion.

During the three days, the PIF leaders met a wide range of political, business, religious, and civil society leaders to get a first-hand account of the situation.

On Tuesday, the 'plus' component of the troika, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, reiterated the mission's assigned mantra in a manner of conclusion to their mission.

"We were here to understand and make recommendations. We have heard many extremely different attitudes. We hope it will be possible to find a solution for the people and the government," Rabuka told religious leaders.

Bitterness from civil society

The long series of talks, within a particularly tight schedule, also allowed groups within New Caledonia's civil society - including traditional chiefs, youth, human rights activists, educationists, mayors and women - to express their views directly during the Pacific leaders' visit.

Some of these groups also took the opportunity to point out that they were not always listened to in other circumstances.

"Today, peace has just been through a rough episode. And we, women, are being asked to help. But when was the last time we were heard?

"We've already said women should be part of all levels of decision-making, including on matters of dealing with violence and access for women to economic empowerment.

We were ignored. And then, when fire breaks out, we're being asked for help because this is the foundation of Pacific values", Sonia Tonga, the president of the Oceania Union of Francophone Women, which groups women's groups from New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis-and-Futuna and Vanuatu, said.

Talking about the youth, she said there was an "ill-being", "they don't recognise themselves in this system, including for education. We're trying to fit an Oceanian society into a framework that has not been designed for them. When will we be heard in our country?".

As part of talks with church leaders, it was also pointed out that there were benefits from sharing experiences with Pacific leaders.

"I've been many times in Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and other Pacific islands. They too have had their hard times. And they too are familiar with the experience of violence which is difficult to bring back to a path of dialogue", 80-year-old Nouméa Catholic Archbishop Michel-Marie Calvet, a respected figure, said.

In terms of earlier crises in the Pacific region, among PIF member island states, in the early 2000s, civil unrest occurred in both Fiji and the Solomon Islands, with shops being targeted and looted.

Under Pacific Islands Forum mechanisms, especially the declaration of Biketawa, this prompted, in 2003, the setting up of "RAMSI" (Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands), with mostly Australia and New Zealand military and police as its main contributors, with additional input from other Pacific island countries.

In Fiji, the mission to defuse the crisis, associated with an attempted coup and a MPs hostage situation within Parliament buildings in May 2000, was mainly achieved by the Royal Fiji Military Force through protracted negotiations and without violence.

Supporting dialogue

In the political sphere, there was a recognition of the benefits of a Pacific perspective.

"There is a Pacific tradition of dialogue and talanoa. So, I think [the PIF leaders] can incite pro-independence parties to come at the [negotiating] table", New Caledonia's Mayors' Association president Pascal Vittori said.

"We're actually expecting PIF will back this notion of dialogue; that's what's important now," he told local media.

"We didn't ask for this [mission]. Now we're waiting for this (troika) report based on their observing mission. We all know that there are biased views on the part of some, one way or the other. So we hope the final report will be as fair and neutral as possible so as not to add fuel to the fire", Sonia Backès, one of the staunchest defenders of New Caledonia remaining part of France, told reporters on Monday.

Following their visit to New Caledonia and based on the information gathered, the Forum troika plus leaders are expected to compile a "comprehensive report" to be submitted to the next annual Forum Leaders' Summit in the Solomon Islands in 2025.

"The terms of reference of this mission were discussed beforehand between the government of New Caledonia, the Pacific Islands Forum and the (French) State. We all agreed that what was most important was to have an assessment of the situation.

"There is a need to provide information to the public so that it is an informed opinion leader. It's important in those times of misinformation and manipulation from one side or the other", French ambassador for the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan told public broadcaster NC la 1ère on Tuesday evening.

Business sector now needs Pacific market overtures

Even the business sector now seems to believe that, as a result of the widespread destruction caused by the riots, which has left over 800 companies burnt down and looted, as well as thousands jobless, the wider Pacific region has now become a new potentially attractive market.

"Our local market has just shrunk considerably and so we will need to find new openings for our products. In that perspective, our cooperation with the Pacific is very, very strategic", business leaders association MEDEF-NC president Mimsy Daly hoped.

She had once again presented a detailed view of the widespread devastation caused by the recent riots and those who took part.

"Were they aware of what they were doing?' is one of the questions I was asked", she wrote on social networks after her encounter with the troika plus.

"A logical question when you know that what has been destroyed equals about 70 percent of the GDP of the Cook Islands, 100 percent of the GDP of the Solomon Islands and 40 percent of the GDP of Fiji".

But she admitted the response to this complex question is "primordial" and "every light will have to be shed on the matter".

In a wrap-up to the three days, President Mapou held a final meeting with the group on Tuesday.

Wide circle of concertation required

French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc, after a final meeting with the delegation, said: "They have come here to seek the profound causes of what happened on 13 May. They have been listening very closely.

"I understand their view is that a wide circle of concertation will be required to reach an agreement", he said.

He elaborated, saying that the Pacific Forum leaders seemed to place a lot of hopes in the notions of "trust", the "necessity of living together" and the PIF's "will to help, while saying that, at the same time, the solution lies in the hands of New Caledonia".

Next: another 'Concertation and dialogue' mission

Following the PIF troika plus mission, another visit is expected in New Caledonia in the next few days: this time coming from Paris, another high-level visit will be headed by the Presidents of both Houses of Parliament (Senate and National Assembly), respectively Gérard Larcher and Yaël Braun-Pivet, from 9 to 14 November.

They will lead what is described as a "mission of concertation and dialogue".

The dates come as a top-level meeting took place last week, presided by French Head of State Emmanuel Macron and attended by French minister for Overseas François-Noël Buffet (who had just returned from New Caledonia), French PM Barnier, Larcher and Braun-Pivet.

The objective, once again, was to reinforce the signal that the time had come to resume political dialogue.

Macron indicated earlier that he still intended to host a meeting in Paris sometime in November.

Buffet was also in New Caledonia earlier this month for four days to assess the situation and try to restore a path to the return of dialogue between all political stakeholders, both pro-independence and pro-France.

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