The chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, is awaiting authorization from Paris for a planned mission to New Caledonia.
Last month, the French Ambassador to the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, indicated that President Emmanuel Macron had not yet signed a letter permitting a high-level PIF delegation to travel to the French territory.
The PIF intends to dispatch a Ministerial Committee comprising leaders from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands for this mission.
Hu’akavameiliku expressed his concerns, stating, “I’ve yet to receive any notification about any dates from Paris regarding our visit to New Caledonia. It’s very important for the Pacific Islands Forum to visit New Caledonia before the leaders’ meeting.”
He emphasized that New Caledonia is a member of the forum, and the Pacific community aims to provide assistance. “We can gather better information and engage in discussions with various parties,” he added.
It has been nearly three months since peaceful protests against a disputed constitutional amendment escalated into widespread civil unrest in the French territory.
A formal letter requesting Macron’s approval for the visit of four Pacific prime ministers was sent just over two weeks ago following discussions with a representative during Japan’s Pacific Leaders Meeting.
However, Roger-Lacan cautioned that hosting Pacific leaders amidst the ongoing crisis in New Caledonia could present security risks due to the current political climate.
The PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa, expressed serious concern over the situation in New Caledonia, stating that the forum is “truly concerned at what is happening.”