Mark Brown, the Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, announced that the Troika-led mission to New Caledonia has been postponed until after the 53rd PIF Leaders meeting in Tonga.
In a recent statement, Brown noted that PIF leaders had previously agreed to send a mission to New Caledonia due to unrest that began on May 13. The mission was expected to report back to Pacific Island Leaders during the upcoming meeting in Tonga, originally planned for this week.
However, Brown explained that the government of New Caledonia raised several concerns about due process and protocols that would need to be addressed prior to the Troika’s visit. To allow more time for resolving these issues, the Forum Troika decided to delay their mission until after the Tonga meeting.
The situation in New Caledonia will be a topic of discussion at the Leaders’ meeting, which aims to provide further direction on support for the region. Brown mentioned that the Forum Secretariat has been collaborating 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 initiated at the request of New Caledonia President Louis Mapou and received approval from the French government. It will be led by Prime Minister Mark Brown, along with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji and Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, who make up the current Forum Troika.
Brown emphasized that the Forum remains fully committed to supporting New Caledonia during this challenging time, including through the future Troika-led mission at a mutually agreed date.