Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is set to participate in a high-level mission to New Caledonia alongside his Troika counterparts from Tonga and Cook Islands from October 27 to 29. This visit follows a directive from leaders during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting held in Tonga in August. The delegation will be led by Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, with the involvement of Cook Islands PM Mark Brown, Mr. Rabuka, and Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Minister Peter-Shanel Agovaka.
According to a statement from PIF, the mission will be strictly observational and aligns with requests from the New Caledonian government, adhering to a framework established by the French State and endorsed by the forum. Mr. Sovaleni expressed solidarity with the New Caledonian people, particularly in light of unrest that occurred earlier this year.
During their visit to Noumea, PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa will accompany the leaders. The team plans to engage with various stakeholders affected by the unrest, including political parties, youth, and communities, and will seek dialogue within the private, health, and education sectors.
PIF emphasized the importance of this mission, stating that understanding local perspectives will enable the forum to better support ongoing discussions regarding New Caledonia’s future while acknowledging its current status.
However, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) coordinator Shamima Ali has called for Mr. Rabuka’s removal from the mission due to his remarks about New Caledonia that were covered by Radio New Zealand. Mr. Rabuka reportedly expressed hope that the Kanaky movement would be “very reasonable” in its demands and referenced past interactions with the movement during his tenure as Prime Minister.
Ms. Ali asserted that the Kanak people should be regarded as authorities on their own experiences and struggles at this critical juncture. She criticized Mr. Rabuka’s government, suggesting it is hypocritical for him to claim expertise in colonization issues while simultaneously supporting actions viewed as oppressive elsewhere, particularly regarding the situation in Palestine.
Currently, Mr. Rabuka is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
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