‘We are neutral’: French envoy offers signs of hope for New Caledonia

France’s Ambassador to New Zealand has reaffirmed the European nation’s commitment to facilitate peace while maintaining its presence in the Pacific.

Since May, New Caledonia has been rocked with political unrest after protests and riots broke out in the capital Noumēa.

The political standoff came to a head when France’s decision to change voting rights was opposed by pro-independence groups.

As France finds itself walking a diplomatic tightrope, its ambassador to New Zealand, Laurence Beau, says the situation on the ground has improved and that conversations between all stakeholders are underway.

“What we see is that now the situation is improving and is going to improve because we have had a new government,” Beau said.

Beau has held two embassy posts in Latin America, in Panama as Deputy Head of Mission as well as Head of the Culture, Science and Cooperation Service from 1/995 to 1998, and in Mexico as Political Advisor from 1998 to 2001. Photo/Susnation Seta

“As you have seen with the new Prime Minister, he said in his declaration of general policy, that one of his high priorities was New Caledonia, and he appointed an overseas minister to deal with New Caledonia.

“At the same time, we have had in Paris a bipartisan mission who have come from New Caledonia to meet with all the political parties in France to talk about New Caledonia and to see what could be the way forward in terms of the political situation, economic and social reconstructions.

“So really the French state and Paris is really doing its utmost to gather all the people around the table to restore dialogue and to really establish peace for the reconstruction and to look forward now.”

Last week, France’s new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, announced that he would scrap the electoral reform which many on the pro-independence side have reacted positively to.

Beau highlighted France’s ongoing efforts to engage New Caledonia in dialogue, saying Paris is open to welcoming a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) fact-finding mission.

The tour was given the green light in early August after France’s top diplomat, Veronique Roger-Lacan, confirmed to then PIF chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown.

The mission would be led by the Forum Troika of Brown, Tonga’s Prime Minister, Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, and Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele.

The mission was scheduled to go ahead before the leaders’ meeting in Nuku’alofa in late August but was postponed due to a lack of consensus in PIF, Roger-Lacan told PMN News.

PIF General Secretary, Baron Waqa, confirmed that the mission would go ahead very soon, before Christmas.

PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa at the leaders meeting in Tonga late August. Photo/Joseph Safiti

Beau said France was “completely open” with New Caledonia to receive and welcome this mission.

“We think that it is so important that the representative of the PIF Troika mission meet with everybody on the ground so that they can report extensively to the PIF once the mission has been completed.

“We were ready to have this mission then locally it was a bit difficult for the timeline of the mission.

“Then President Macron said he was happy to postpone the mission so now the question was really to find a date that would suit everybody and we are still happy to welcome the mission whenever it is decided.”

As the dates are still being confirmed, French Police continue to be on the ground in Noumēa, along with enforced curfews, something Beau referred to as temporary and strictly for protecting citizens and strategic sites rather than a military occupation.

“The main objective is for all the stakeholders from all the sides to sit down together and to talk to each other to define their future, their common future and the French state is helping that being impartial,” Beau said.

“We are neutral so we are helping all the stakeholders to get together and to define between themselves the common future they want to share.”

Watch Beau's full interview with PMN News political reporter Ala Vailala at SPDMM last week