A 48-hour visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the south-west Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia has highlighted rather than calmed stirrings of discontent among those who dream of bringing 170 years of colonial rule to an end.
As far as it is possible to travel from Paris and still be on French soil, this far-flung outpost of France’s historic empire is fiercely divided on its destiny. Up to half its 280,000 citizens, notably the poorer indigenous Kanaks, want the excitement and challenge of independence while the other half, including better-off islanders with roots in metropolitan France, clings to continuity and stability as a French dependency.
Successive referendums have produced votes against severing the colonial ties, but by majorities that were narrowing until a poll in December 2021 was boycotted by independence supporters. Their demands for a delay in holding the referendum because of the impact of Covid-19 on New Caledonia were rejected, rendering meaningless the subsequent near-unanimous vote, in a derisory turnout of under 44 per cent, to remain French.
At a time when France is seeking to act as a balancing power in the region as China and the US compete for influence, pressure for independence for the second-biggest French overseas territory arouses serious concern in Paris.
A French government website marvels at New Caledonia’s “picture postcard” charms, with abundant flora and fauna, glorious sandy beaches, turquoise waters and the world’s largest lagoon, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Despite this undisputed natural beauty, it is under-developed as a holiday destination, especially when compared with the Pacific islands of French Polynesia, and subsidies from France account for three times more of the GDP than either tourism or the archipelago’s traditional nickel-mining industry.
Since 1998, an agreement between Paris and the capital Noumea – the so-called Noumea Accord – has established special status assuring New Caledonians of their own as well as French nationality, and gradually handing over powers. Islanders are EU citizens and have the right to live and work in France and vote in national elections.
Macron has worked hard to present himself as a champion of post-colonial contrition
In the 2022 presidential election, the majority in favour of Mr Macron’s second term was slightly higher in New Caledonia, at 61 per cent, than he obtained overall. But independence-supporting politicians now hold distinctly cool feelings towards him.
The President has worked hard to present himself as a champion of post-colonial contrition with statesmanlike apologies for the “crime against humanity” of France’s record in, for example, Algeria. If this language heartens progressives, it inflames a growing number of French people who vote for far-right candidates like Marine Le Pen. And in common with so many French political leaders, the President, mindful of the distinct danger of Ms Le Pen succeeding him when his second and final term ends in 2027, has made gestures on immigration and security designed to appease populist opinion.
It seems disingenuous to rely on the 2021 referendum as proof that the will of the New Caledonian people is to remain French since support for independence had risen from 43 to nearly 47 per cent in the two previous votes. Mr Macron nevertheless insists that New Caledonia’s way forward must take account of all three results.
"New Caledonia is French because it has chosen to remain French," he told a rally of up to 10,000 loyalists in Noumea, acclaiming the process that saw the territory move forward from violent unrest in the 1980s as “a source of pride for us all". The President urged islanders to avoid being tempted by the sort of future that could one day see a Chinese military base established on the archipelago. “That is not called independence,” he said.
During his visit, Mr Macron summoned political leaders and stressed the need for dialogue on developing New Caledonia’s constitutional status, calling for a “profound, sincere political exchange".
But key figures from the pro-independence movement, led by the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) coalition, refused to attend the meeting, a clear disappointment for Mr Macron, who recognises that the archipelago finds itself "in a kind of suspended state".
Moving from New Caledonia to the former Anglo-French colony of Vanuatu, the President alluded to the jockeying for position of the two superpowers. France is closely watching China’s efforts to assert itself in the South-Pacific where, last year, Beijing reached agreement on a new security pact with the Solomon Islands. In response to the Chinese push for greater authority, the US has signed its own defence deal with Papua New Guinea and reinforced its diplomatic and economic presence in the region.
Mr Macron warned that a “new imperialism” in the Indo-Pacific endangered the sovereignty of several states. If China was the obvious target of his words, it was perhaps just as well that he stopped short of saying so, given the awkward coincidence of a visit to Beijing of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on a mission to drum up investment in France.
He preferred to commend France’s own approach in the region, concentrating on not only defence and sovereignty but the battle against climate change, a huge issue in Vanuatu and other low-lying Pacific islands.
“Our Indo-Pacific strategy is above all to defend through partnerships the independence and sovereignty of all states in the region that are ready to work with us," he said, again offering candid acknowledgement of a dark heritage of colonialism that was “as brutal [in Vanuatu] as that imposed elsewhere”.
A desire to counter Chinese ambitions without slavishly supporting the US explains the inclusion of Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea on the tour. After a hectic visit, complicated by the need to respond to the military coup in Niger, a French colony until 1960, he returned to Paris via a brief stop-over in Sri Lanka.
But if New Caledonia was the main focus of his tour, it was hardly an unqualified success given the FLNKS leaders’ declarations that France’s regional strategy, and its attachment to the outcome of the flawed third referendum, cannot be used to frustrate the march towards statehood.
Back in France, Mr Macron has begun his annual working holiday at the Fort de Bregancon, the Mediterranean presidential retreat. Despite a bulging in-tray of pressing issues after a torrid series of domestic crises and, now, anti-French protests in Niger, he was also left with one New Caledonian independence campaigner’s barbed question ringing in his ears: “Is he coloniser or liberator?”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Who is Tim-Berners Lee?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Start times
5.55am: Wheelchair Marathon Elites
6am: Marathon Elites
7am: Marathon Masses
9am: 10Km Road Race
11am: 4Km Fun Run
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars