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Historic deal recognizes the ‘State of New Caledonia’ within France [1]
['Mong Palatino']
Date: 2025-07-22
Various parties signed a historic agreement that recognizes the state of New Caledonia within France.
New Caledonia is a South Pacific territory that was colonized by France in 1853 and has been on the United Nations’ list for decolonization since 1986. The landmark Noumea Peace Accord in 1998 instituted a three-part independence referendum to determine the political future of New Caledonia. The third referendum in 2021 was boycotted by the Indigenous Kanak people during the pandemic.
In May 2024, protests and riots erupted after the French National Assembly voted on a bill that would have diluted the voting representation of the Kanak people, who make up 42 percent of New Caledonia’s population of 270,000.
French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the bill and vowed to hold dialogue on the issue. After several months of negotiations, an agreement was signed and announced on July 12, 2025, by a delegation composed of four anti-independence groups and two independence groups from New Caledonia.
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In summary, if approved, the 13-page agreement officially entitled the “Agreement Project of the Future of New Caledonia” would create a state of New Caledonia within France, and a New Caledonian nationality can be recognized by the international community. New Caledonia would assume more powers in governance, but France will retain authority on defense, currency, and justice. New Caledonia would be allowed to create its own provincial and traditional security forces. It can also conduct its own diplomatic affairs, but this should be done “in respect of France's international commitments and vital interests.”
The preamble of the document reflects the compromises during the intense negotiations.
New Caledonians are once again betting on trust, dialogue, and peace through this agreement, which proposes a new political organisation, greater shared sovereignty, an economic and social reset, and a reinvented destiny together.
Macron described the deal as a “bet on trust.” The French Prime Minister François Bayrou expressed “pride” to see an agreement “on par with history.” The French minister for overseas territories called it an “intelligent compromise.”
Victor Tutugoro, one of the negotiators from the pro-independence side, said they arrived at a “balanced compromise.”
Of course, by definition, a compromise cannot satisfy anyone 100 percent. But it's a balanced compromise for everyone. And it allows us to look ahead, to build New Caledonia together, a citizenship and this common destiny everyone's been talking about for many years.
This point was echoed by Loyalist leader and president of the Southern Province Sonia Backès, who was also among the negotiators.
This compromise will not fully satisfy anyone. But I am firmly convinced that it allows us to take New Caledonia out of the spiral of violence, uncertainties, and destruction.
In order to take effect, the deal needs to be approved by the New Caledonia population. It also needs to be endorsed by the French Parliament and included in a dedicated article of the French Constitution.
The French government and the New Caledonia parties involved in the deal face the daunting task of persuading their constituents to support the deal. ABC’s report quoted several civil society leaders in New Caledonia who expressed concern about the abandonment of the demand for complete sovereignty. Reacting to the agreement, a member of the rightist Rassemblement National in France has posed questions about it.
We have serious concerns about the words that are used. Obviously, creating a state within the French State raises an important question. Creating a nationality alongside French nationality poses a fundamental issue.
Pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front) chief negotiator Emmanuel Tjibaou anticipated the critical comments when he was interviewed by the media.
To choose this difficult and new path also means we’ll be subject to criticism. We’re going to get insulted, threatened, precisely because we have chosen a different path.
Journalist Nic Maclellan summed up the prospect of having the deal approved in France and New Caledonia.
…there will likely be extensive debate in New Caledonia and France before the legal adoption of the deal, and many provisions will be contested by both supporters and opponents of independence in coming months. So the “historic agreement” has a long way to go, and the timetable for the deal struck on 12 July may be hostage to wider national and global forces. New Caledonia is rolling the dice in ‘a bet on trust.’
The referendum in New Caledonia is initially scheduled for February 26 next year.
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