The Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, has announced that the mission led by the Forum Troika to New Caledonia has been postponed until after the 53rd PIF Leaders meeting in Tonga.
In his statement, Brown noted that earlier this month, Pacific Islands Forum leaders agreed to the deployment of a Troika-led mission to New Caledonia, following unrest that began on May 13. The mission was originally scheduled to occur this week, with the intention of reporting back to the leaders during the upcoming meeting in Tonga.
However, Prime Minister Brown indicated that the government of New Caledonia has raised several concerns regarding due process and protocol that must be addressed before the Troika can proceed with their visit. To facilitate the resolution of these issues among their Forum members, the Troika has chosen to delay their mission until after the Tonga meeting.
Brown also mentioned that the situation in New Caledonia will be a topic of discussion at the leaders’ meeting, which aims to provide direction on how best to support the current circumstances.
The Secretariat has been collaborating with both the French State and the New Caledonian Government to ensure that the objectives and arrangements for the Troika-led mission align with the expectations of all involved parties.
The mission, at the request of New Caledonia’s President Louis Mapou and with the approval of the French State, will be led by Prime Minister Mark Brown, along with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Tongan PM Siaosi Sovaleni, who together form the current Forum Troika.
Brown reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to support New Caledonia during this period, including through the future Troika-led mission at a time agreed upon by all parties involved.