France commits €130k to support Pacific students

FRANCE has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening academic and scientific cooperation in the

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Minister’s New Caledonia tour leaves unanswered questions

WHEN France’s new Overseas Minister Naïma Moutchou toured New Caledonia last week, New Caledonians hoped that her visit would end uncertainty over political and economic reforms. Instead, Moutchou flew back to Paris

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Manoeuvring in Paris delays decision on New Caledonia elections

Legislation to defer New Caledonia’s provincial elections has been delayed until next week, as parliamentary manoeuvring in Paris highlights divisions over the Bougival Accord, a proposal for a new political statute

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Another Paris earthquake sends tsunamis to the Pacific

ACROSS the Pacific islands, people know that earthquakes can trigger tsunamis that travel across vast

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Fixing New Caledonia’s health crisis

FOR months, the town of Thio went without a local

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Collapse of French Government to impact Forum debate on New Caledonia

AS President of New Caledonia Alcide Ponga attends his first Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Honiara this week, the French government in Paris has

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France urges caution on deep-sea mining

FRANCE has urged a cautionary approach on deep sea

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What’s next for New Caledonia?

WHY should we take the French engagement vis-à-vis the Blue Pacific in general (and Fiji in particular)

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Tensions rise, travel alert for New Caledonia

AUSTRALIA has warned its citizens planning to travel to Kanaky (New Caledonia) next week to be vigilant as political tensions rise in the French

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Vanuatu, France discusses island ownership

VANUATU and France will begin first round of resumed negotiations on the outstanding issue of maritime boundary delimitation and sovereignty over two islands.

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Vanuatu turns 45

CELEBRATIONS in Vanuatu and among its diaspora have marked the 45th anniversary of the former condominium regaining independence from Britain and

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Vanuatu secures Airbus deal

VANUATU’S national carrier may soon resume international flights after a deal was signed with French aircraft manufacturer,

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Parliamentary report calls for action on Mā’ohi nuclear survivors

A major new report on the consequences of French nuclear testing in Mā’ohi Nui (French Polynesia) has been released by a parliamentary commission of inquiry in

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Devil in the detail of New Caledonia’s “historic” agreement

Meeting in France, New Caledonian political leaders have signed an agreement on the political and economic future of the French Pacific

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Tjibaou on New Caledonia talks in Paris: “We want to resolve this now”

“We want to resolve this now, and that is why I am committed to

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Documents reveal French nuke conspiracy

New documents obtained by investigative outlet Disclose suggest that France spent $USD102,776 to discredit research into the impacts of its nuclear testing in the Pacific.

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France spent €90,000 countering research into impact of Pacific nuclear tests

France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has spent tens of thousands of euros in an effort to counter research revealing that Paris has consistently underestimated the devastating impact of its nuclear tests in French

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Loyalists blame French Minister for failure of New Caledonia talks

Conservative anti-independence parties in New Caledonia have denounced the French Overseas Minister after the breakdown of talks to forge a new political

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French Minister Valls wants all parties to ‘take their responsibilities’ ahead of third trip to New Caledonia

French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls, who is visiting New Caledonia this week for the third time in two months, has once again called all parties to live up to their responsibilities in order to make a new

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It’s a violation: France called out on nuclear tests

From 1966-1996, France conducted 193 nuclear explosions on Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls in the Tuamotu archipelago of Mā’ohi Nui, known in France as its overseas territory of French

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New Caledonia talks to resume this month, but differences remain

New Caledonian political leaders and the French government are scheduled to resume political status talks on 29 April, when France’s Overseas Minister Manuel Valls returns to Noumea. For Valls, “the objective of

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No deal for New Caledonia, talks to continue later this month

After four days of continuous talks with New Caledonia’s political forces, French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has returned to Paris Tuesday, without any deal as yet regarding the French Pacific

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Steps forward in New Caledonia political talks

For the first time since 2019, there have been tripartite talks on the political status of New Caledonia, during an eight-day visit by France’s Overseas Minister Manuel Valls. After six months of conflict that began

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French Overseas Minister Manuel Valls to visit Nouméa for key political talks

French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has announced he will travel to New Caledonia on 22 February to pursue talks on the French territory’s political future. This comes following preliminary talks held last

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