New Caledonia says it won't be 'trojan horse' for big powers in the Pacific

After attending the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, Louis Mapou, President of New Caledonia, looks on. 15 July 2022 in Suva (Fiji).

New Caledonia was at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Fiji, its first since joining the peak group in 2016. This is amid concerns over geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States.

Louis Mapou (pictured), the president of New Caledonia, was elected in 2021 to be the first indigenous Kanak leader pro-independence. He stated that he wants New Caledonia to stand out in the ocean and to emerge from the "corridor to Europe". It is located approximately 20,000 kilometers from France.

This is the New Caledonia's future. Mapou said that New Caledonia's future is not in Europe in a Friday interview in Suva.

He stated that France needed New Caledonia, French Polynesia and New Caledonia to defend its Indo Pacific strategy against the other powers.

"It's not our project. Our project is to be more actively involved in the region."

Mapou stated that Forum leaders had discussed the dangers posed by militarisation in the Pacific. He cited the Solomon Islands security agreement with China and the need to unite as "big power outside our region are pursuing our region".

He stated that he did not want New Caledonia to be integrated into the region as a trojan horse for any interests that were not in New Caledonia's best interests.

He said that France's increasing military interest in the Indo Pacific is affecting its stance on independence for New Caledonia, as Paris wants to maintain a Pacific presence.

He said that Paris was a key determinant and decisive factor in discussions about the future of New Caledonia, which he said in reference to the talks set to start after the December failed independence referendum.

Kanak protested the final independence referendum because France refused to delay it amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This had a significant impact on the 96.5% vote for 'No'.

Mapou stated that the Pacific Islands Forum secretaryariat had led an election observers group which found that the conditions in which the referendum was held weren't respectful.