New Caledonia's Political Future 'Not A Pacific Problem' - 'It's Our Own', Says Ponga

Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 2:37 pm
Article: RNZ

Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin Editor

The president of the government of New Caledonia says that "meddling in our domestic political affairs" is not welcome.

Speaking to RNZ Pacific from Nouméa on the one-year anniversary of last year's deadly civil unrest, Alcide Ponga said he wanted to remind Pacific leaders that the ongoing political situation is a matter between France and the people of its overseas Pacific territory.

He emphasised the importance of New Caledonia maintaining a relationship with the whole region, particularly in areas such as the economy, culture and politics.

"However, I do not have [an] objective to come and criticise the politics in New Zealand. Please don't criticise what happened in New Caledonia between the Caledonian people and France," he said.

"It's our own problem. It's not a Pacific problem."

He cited the Cook Islands' recent engagements with China as an example of why the French territory needs to maintain its ties with Paris.

The Cook Islands, a self-governing nation in "free association" with New Zealand, signed a comprehensive strategic agreement with Beijing, including a five-year agreement for seabed mineral exploration and research.

The move sparked a diplomatic dispute between Avarua and Wellington, putting a spotlight on constitutional tensions between the two nations.

France's Overseas Minister Manuel Valls has suggested a resolution - similar to the Cook Islands' relationship with New Zealand - for New Caledonia to have "independence-association" with France.

The proposal raised the hopes of pro-independence groups, but talks collapsed after the political stakeholders could not agree to a deal.

Ponga believes China's influence is the "main risk" to New Caledonia if Valls's proposal goes ahead.

"You know, New Zealand and Cook Islands, maybe Cook Island is not independent, but the Cook Islands decided to discuss with China," Ponga said.

"It is the main risk for us if we are going ahead in the association or partnership [arrangement with France]. If you want to put in place partnership or association with friends, you have to be independent."

Addressing the issue of independence from France, he said: "It's not an obligation to become independent," adding that "for me, you have a lot of option" on the issue of decolonisation.

Ponga said New Caledonians voted three times - referring to the independence referendums in 2018, 2020 and 2021 (boycotted by the majority of the Kanak population) - to remain with France.

He said the "democratic choice" of the people must be respected.

"The main objective is to make the Kanak people free in their mind...because decolonisation, for me, it's in the mind."

"'I'm Kanak. I don't think I'm a colonised guy. I'm free in my mind.

"I know that we have to maybe pursue the process to make all [Kanak] population think that we are not colonised by France.

"But majority of Caledonian people don't want to become independent."

'Slowly but surely'

Unrest erupted in New Caledonia on 13 May 2024, triggered by a proposed change to the local government electoral roll to allow more non-indigenous people to vote, which pro-independence groups feared would dilute the political power of the indigenous Kanak population.

The riots and unrest which dragged on for months resulted in 14 deaths and €2.2 billion in damages to the economy.

Twelve months on, the violence has been brought under control, but there is still no solution in sight for the French territory's political future

Ponga, an anti-independence politician who came into power in January, said it is time for everyone to "roll their sleeves up" and build back New Caledonia's economy.

His aim, he said, is to try and help to create safe New Caledonia and avoid it from descending into the sight of another civil unrest.

He said he has big issues to tackle in "a very short time" in office but he knows where to start.

"I arrived here in January, and maybe I will push out from here in November [when the local government elections are scheduled].

"The first thing we have to do is to create the economic environment to rebuild, to restart the machine, to try to push the mining operation to come back, and to bring [employment] for all Caledonian people.

"To ensure that if we don't find agreement, to make sure that we don't dispute and create the trouble [for] our population

"Go ahead slowly but surely, and to find one good way for everybody."

Regional implications

An advisor to Louis Mapou, Ponga's predecessor, told RNZ Pacific that the question of New Caledonia's political future has regional implications.

"The Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries need to continue to support New Caledonia to become fully sovereign," Charles Wea, who is a member of UNI - PALIKA (Party of Kanak Liberation), said, which is a fundamentally different position to Ponga.

He said this was the request from Forum member countries, as well as the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

"The stability of New Caledonia will also impact the stability for the region," Wea said.

"We are happy that a different French government now is taking another step to serve New Caledonia into the process of decolonisation.

He said the French government proposed "full sovereignty with partnership with France" during the political talks.

"However, the loyalists (anti-independence parties) say that New Caledonia cannot become independent because of the three referendums," Wea said.

But Ponga, the president of Le Rassemblement (The Rally), said a fourth referendum "is not logical" and made it clear that he will not support another referendum.

"The cycle is finished. Now [it is] our responsibility - pro- and anti-independence parties and the French State - to find to find the good way for everybody," he said.

"This position of UNI has come on the table because we, all together, didn't reach our objective to find an agreement.

"The French minister arrived here and propose [to] us whatever you call this form of independence, association or partnership, it's independence.

Pacific leaders on New Caledonia

Pacific leaders have already expressed their views on New Caledonia and the Kanak peoples aspirations for full sovereignty from France.

"Politically and morally we support the independence of New Caledonia," former Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai told RNZ Pacific previously.

Tuvalu MP Simon Kofe said, "We need to continue to support the decolonisation of the Pacific."

While Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who spoke with RNZ Pacific the day before heading to New Caledonia as part of the Pacific Islands Forum mission, said, "Don't slap the hand that has fed you."

"Have a good disassociation arrangement when you become independent, make sure you part as friends."

In Japan last year, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said, "Pacific Islands Forum countries by virtue of our locations and histories understand the large indigenous minority population's desire for self-determination.

"We also deeply respect and appreciate France's role in the region and understand France's desire to walk together with New Caledonians towards a prosperous and secure future."

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