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Press Statement
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The
Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Committee on New Caledonia concluded three
days of extensive and inclusive consultations with key stakeholders to gauge a
sense of the progress in implementation of the Noumea Accord.
The Forum
Ministerial Committee is mandated to observe the progress of implementation of
the Noumea Accord, which sets the agreed pathway to allow the people of New
Caledonia to determine the process to self-determination, and to reaffirm the
Forum’s commitment to support that process including identifying options for
Forum support to New Caledonia’s continued political development.
The mission
was led by the Forum Chair, Honourable Henry Puna Prime Minister of Cook
Islands, and included the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat,
Tuiloma Neroni Slade.
Prime
Minister Puna expressed his sincere gratitude to the Government and people of
New Caledonia for the warm reception accorded to the mission, and commended all
the stakeholders consulted for the immense progress achieved under the Noumea
Accord, in particular progress toward greater self-governance and economic
development, while critically maintaining peace and stability.
The
Committee called on the Customary Senate and met with the traditional leaders
of New Caledonia. The Committee also had meetings with President Harold Martin
and members of his Cabinet; Mr Gerard Poadja, President of the New Caledonia
Congress; representatives of political parties; and Leaders of the Provincial
Governments. The Committee also met with His Excellency Jean-Jacques Brot, High
Commissioner of France to New Caledonia. Prime Minister Puna expressed
appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the wide range of stakeholders
and thanked all interlocutors for their candid and frank discussions and
exchange of views.
Prime Minister
Puna said he was “very impressed by the unified position and commitment across
the political landscape to maintain peace and stability and continued economic
growth and development, despite the uncertainty of future political
arrangements.”
Prime Minister Puna added “in that regard I am pleased to note
two key features of New Caledonia’s development strategies, namely the
recognition of the Kanak identity and circumstances as well as the real and
sustained efforts underway to achieve economic and social rebalancing across
the country.” It was also encouraging to note that there was widespread
recognition and acceptance that New Caledonia is home to other communities and
they should equally benefit from the rebalancing efforts.
Prime
Minister Puna said that as the Forum Committee was in New Caledonia to observe
and listen, he was pleased to be able to advise Forum Leaders, at their
upcoming meeting in September, that both the letter and the spirit of the
Noumea Accord were respected and acted on, and that the irreversible process
toward self-governance under the Noumea Accord was progressing well with all
parties committed to a peaceful and prosperous future for all New Caledonians.
In
concluding, Prime Minister Puna reaffirmed that “the Forum’s commitment to
support New Caledonia in its journey toward self-determination remains
steadfast, recognising that New Caledonia is a member of the Pacific family and
should take its rightful place in the Pacific community.”
