Page 12 - Islands Business May 2023

French Polynesia

Despite this, the new President paid tribute to Tavini leader autonomy” in the Pacific region, as a balancing force between
Oscar Temaru, who led the party’s electoral list but stood the United States and China. However, the French government
aside to support Brotherson’s candidacy for the top job. won’t welcome the fact there are pro-independence presi-
“Oscar will always remain our Metua and the president of dents in both Noumea and Papeete, at a time of US-China
the party as long as he is able and willing to do so,” Brother- geopolitical contest.
son said. “None of us would be here if not for Oscar Temaru. Although Paris retains responsibility for key aspects of de-
I wouldn’t be in politics if this formidable man hadn’t paved fence and foreign policy, the independence parties both want
the way.” to build closer ties with neighbours and the Pacific Islands
During one televised electoral debate, Vice President Forum.
Jean-Christophe Bouissou denounced Brotherson as a “Trojan “The Pacific region is our natural environment, and we have
horse” for Temaru, trying to present Tavini’s presidential can- to put a stronger focus on those relationships,” Brotherson
didate as a moderate façade for party hardliners. Brotherson said. “However we are still French-occupied territory, so we
rejected the criticism, saying that as president he’ll seek “a have to be very careful about this Indo-Pacific strategy. I’ve
modern, thoughtful and prepared independence.” said to the French High Commissioner here that we under-
“Some members of Tavini maybe were a bit anxious that I stand the concerns of France about China’s strategy and its
am too moderate, but I think they now understand that there Silk Road initiatives. We understand that several big players
is a difference between being moderate and not being deter- are here in our region, the United States and others, but we
mined,” he said. “I’m a very determined person and a very don’t want to be pawns on someone else’s chessboard.”
method-oriented guy. I’ve explained that going straight into The new President told Islands Business he looked forward
battle is not necessarily the right strategy to move forward on to next November’s Forum leaders’ meeting in neighbouring
our path to freedom.” Rarotonga. Seeking “a strong and sincere partnership” with
other Forum members, he said that “the main topic should be
France and the Indo-Pacific regional cooperation.”
President of New Caledonia Louis Mapou – the first pro- “If we talk about climate change or the economy, we have
independence Kanak leader for more than 40 years – sent to be able to exchange more between us,” he said. “We want
congratulations to Tavini and his Ma’ohi counterpart after to establish more cooperation on education, on health and on
the electoral victory. Daniel Goa, the President of the New all aspects of our lives. There is so much that we can share
Caledonia’s largest independence party Union Calédonienne between us as Pacific islanders and members of the Forum.”
also sent a solidarity message, saying: “The time has come for In line with the Forum’s 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific
New Caledonia, French Polynesia and even Wallis and Futuna Continent, Brotherson said his government wanted to share
– the last three French colonies in the Pacific – to unite and French Polynesia’s perspectives on climate action, the oceans
promote their interests amidst the geopolitical manoeuvres, and the radioactive legacies of nuclear testing.
of which the Pacific is the latest theatre.” “We consider the ocean as the cradle of humanity, and I
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron visited don’t think we are the only ones to do so,” he said. “As Poly-
Beijing, seeking to bolster France’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Rely- nesians, we have a very special relationship with the ocean –
ing of France’s control of three Pacific dependencies, Macron there is no threshold between land and sea for us.”
argued that his European nation should maintain “strategic Although the Cook Islands government led by Prime Minister
Mark Brown supports deep sea mining, other Forum members
have called for a moratorium on exploration and exploita-
tion, and there will be sensitive debates in November on the
controversial regional issue.
With France claiming 5 million square kilometres of Ex-
clusive Economic Zone around the archipelagos of French
Polynesia, and Paris controlling strategic metals in the ocean,
the issue of deep sea mining is crucial for the new govern-
ment in Papeete. Acknowledging the policies of the current
Forum chair and stressing that “we would always respect each
country’s sovereignty”, Brotherson explained that “for us, we
Need some expert advice or support for your telecommunications network – are against deep sea mining and have established that very
contact us! clearly.
“We understand the issue of sovereignty and the issue of
Specialising in strategic and commercial aspects associated with the economic development that can be a lure,” he noted. “But
development and/or implementation of submarine cable projects around the
Pacific! I don’t think that we need to mine the deep seas to have
sustainable development in our region. So we need to be very,
CONTACT: very, very careful.”
John: jhibbard@bigpond.com
Paul: paul@mccann-consulting.net
nicmaclellan@optusnet.com.au

12 Islands Business, May 2023