The Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, announced that the mission led by the Forum Troika to New Caledonia has been delayed until after the 53rd PIF Leaders meeting in Tonga.
In his statement, Brown noted that PIF leaders had previously agreed to send a Forum Troika-led mission to New Caledonia due to unrest that began on May 13. The mission was meant to report its findings back to the Pacific Island Leaders at the upcoming meeting in Tonga, which was set for this week.
However, Brown indicated that the New Caledonia Government raised several concerns regarding due process and protocol that must be addressed prior to the Troika’s visit. In light of this, the Forum Troika decided to postpone their mission to allow more time to resolve these concerns among its members.
Brown also mentioned that the situation in New Caledonia will be a topic of discussion at the Leaders’ meeting to provide guidance on how to support the region moving forward. The Forum Secretariat is collaborating with the French State and the Government of New Caledonia to ensure that the objectives and arrangements for the Troika mission align with the expectations of all parties involved.
The mission was initiated at the request of New Caledonia President Louis Mapou and received approval from the French State. It will be led by Prime Minister Mark Brown, along with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji and Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni of Tonga, who make up the current Forum Troika.
Brown reiterated the Forum’s commitment to supporting New Caledonia during this period, including through the planned Troika-led mission at a mutually agreed time.