The independence and unionist political forces of Nueva Caledonia have signed this Saturday a political agreement that contemplates wide autonomy for the territory of French overseas, although maintaining the formal sovereignty of Paris over the islands of Oceania.
The agreement has been signed after ten days of intense negotiations at the Hilton Bougival Hotel, in the south of Paris, and contemplates key assignments to the Neocaledonian authorities such as the establish French and Neocaledonia, since the document itself has not transcended.
The Pact also includes the reform of the electoral system to include both the original residents and those who have been in the islands and a new distribution of seats in Congress. All these measures, which must be endorsed in referendum by the Neocaredonia population in spring of 2026, intends with all these measures to guarantee a “permanent” status for the region that will also have the recognition as such in the French Constitution.
The loyal-union coalition has highlighted the character of “historical agreement” that takes New Caledonia to “a new era of stability.” In particular, they have valued the creation of a new electoral body and the “rebalancing of the seats of Congress in favor of the Southern Province.” They also recognize “concessions on our part, accepted.” “Today New Caledonia opens a new page in their history,” they have highlighted.
In the negotiations, the Minister of French overseas territories, Manuel Valls, who highlighted the “courage and responsibility” of the signatory parties has had a fundamental role. “It is a great commitment, the result of a long negotiation,” he said.
Also the French president, Emmanuel Macron, highlighted the “historical agreement” achieved to recognize “a state of New Caledonia within the Republic.”
“It is a commitment to trust,” he said before thanking Valls’s work. “The time for respect, stability and union of good wills to build a shared future has come,” Macron argued. In addition, he has announced that he will receive the already negotiating delegations Valls at the Elysee Palace this Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
One of the members of the independence delegation, Victor Tutugoro, of the National Union for Independence (UNI) has valued the “balanced commitment” achieved. “We have opted for intelligence, beyond our convictions, our positions. We have managed to put this aside for the good of the country.”
“It is a commitment that allows us to develop a balanced political agreement to build New Caledonia, a Caledonia citizenship and, above all, build the common destination that we had been demanding for years,” he said.
These negotiations are a direct consequence of the serious disturbances initiated in May 2024, when thousands of thousands of Canacos went out to protest against the electoral reform that sought to grant the vote to those French citizens who took more than ten years living in the territory. After hundreds of injured and thousands of detainees, the Galas authorities were forced to withdraw the bill.
