Mark Brown, the Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, 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 explained that during a meeting earlier this month, PIF leaders had reached an agreement to deploy a Forum Troika-led mission to New Caledonia in response to the unrest that began on May 13. The mission was originally scheduled to report back to Pacific Island Leaders at the upcoming meeting in Tonga.
However, Prime Minister Brown noted that the New Caledonia Government has raised several concerns regarding due process and protocol that need to be addressed prior to the Troika’s visit. To allow time for these issues to be resolved, the Forum Troika has chosen to postpone the mission until after the Tonga meeting.
The situation in New Caledonia will be a topic of discussion at the Leaders’ meeting, which will offer further direction on how to proceed in supporting the region. Brown mentioned that the Secretariat has been collaborating with the French State and the Government of New Caledonia to ensure that the goals and arrangements for the Troika-led mission align with the expectations of all relevant stakeholders.
This mission was initiated at the request of New Caledonia’s President Louis Mapou and received approval from the French State. The mission will be led by Mark Brown, along with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Tongan PM Siaosi Sovaleni, who are part of the current Forum Troika.
Brown emphasized that the Forum is fully committed to supporting New Caledonia during this challenging time, including through the forthcoming Troika-led mission at a mutually agreed time.