The Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, has announced the postponement of a Forum Troika-led mission to New Caledonia, which will now take place after the 53rd PIF Leaders meeting in Tonga.
In a recent statement, Brown noted that the leaders of the PIF had previously agreed to a mission aimed at addressing unrest that began on May 13. The initial plan was for the mission to report back to Pacific Island Leaders during their upcoming meeting in Tonga, scheduled for this week.
However, the Government of New Caledonia raised several concerns regarding due process and protocol that need to be resolved before the Troika’s visit. To accommodate these issues, the Forum Troika decided to delay the mission until after the meeting in Tonga.
The situation in New Caledonia will be on the agenda during the Leaders’ meeting, which aims to provide further direction for supporting the region. Brown mentioned that the Secretariat has been coordinating efforts with both the French State and the New Caledonian Government to ensure that the mission’s objectives align with the expectations of all stakeholders.
The mission was proposed by New Caledonia’s President Louis Mapou and received endorsement from the French State. It will be led by Prime Minister Mark Brown, alongside Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji and Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni of Tonga, who together constitute the current Forum Troika.
Brown affirmed the Forum’s strong commitment to assisting New Caledonia during this period, ensuring that the Troika-led mission occurs at a mutually agreed upon time.