Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged separatists and non-independence activists in New Caledonia to reach an agreement on the status of the archipelago before the end of the year with a view to a constitutional review in early 2024.
During a meeting with all interested parties at the Elysée, the Head of State “insisted on the need to reach this agreement to fully commit to the path of forgiveness and the future,” indicated the Presidency.
This path involves “recognizing everyone’s stories” and “going further” in the economic and social development of the archipelago with “large investments,” he added.
Emmanuel Macron also “recalled the challenge of 2024 and the need to move forward within this limited timetable.” “The government is working to reach an agreement before the end of the year,” the Elysée insisted.
More discussions since the 2021 referendum
The two sides had not directly discussed the future of the archipelago since 2019 and the December 12, 2021 referendum won by the “no” to independence, but boycotted by the separatists.
Before the Elysée, they were already received on Wednesday by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne in Matignon. “A constructive week that marks very significant progress,” the Presidency congratulated itself.
Emmanuel Macron, for his part, had also met in July with pro-independence and non-independence actors in Noumea to try to reach a consensus.
But some of the separatists, in particular representatives of the Caledonian Union (UC), the most radical group, did not participate in this meeting.
The president later said he was “personally hurt” by her absence. This time all the players responded, including Caledonian Union’s Gilbert Tyuienon and Mickaël Forrest.
Delegations agree to meet again
The government announced that it had put on the table an “ambitious” draft agreement, relating in particular to the institutional future of the archipelago and the exercise of the “right to self-determination”, as well as the construction of a “Caledonian city”. citizenship.
Discussions should also focus on the future of the nickel sector, a weakened economic pillar of the archipelago, although Europe and France have enormous needs for it to make electric batteries for cars.
The delegations agree to meet again and “continue working” with the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, who will travel to New Caledonia at the end of October.
The objective is to reach “before October 11” a “document that takes stock of the points of agreement and disagreements,” said Sonia Backès, Secretary of State in charge of Citizenship, president of the Southern Province of New Caledonia and leader of the loyalists.
“Things are moving forward”
At the end of October, Gérald Darmanin will negotiate with the parties in Noumea “on the points that remain to be negotiated”, he added, without being able to say whether there will be a global agreement.
“It is not easy, there are points in which we are quite far away but the Minister of the Interior puts a lot of energy and patience into it,” he assured.
The same goes for the more moderate separatists, who also stress the goal of reaching an agreement in November.
“We have the feeling that things are moving forward. Let’s get to work,” said Victor Tutugoro, a member of the Kanak Socialist Liberation Front (FLNKS) delegation. “At the end of October we will truly open negotiations,” he said.
Source: BFM TV
