Pacific forum head disappointed by failed New Caledonia mission but vows to try again

(From left): NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Fatafehi Fakafānua and Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Baron Waqa sit at the head table for lunch in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse

The Pacific Island Forum’s secretary-general is disappointed arrangements for a forum-led mission to New Caledonia broke down ahead of the region’s leaders’ meeting in Tonga.

Secretary-general Baron Waqa, formerly Nauru’s president, acknowledged the forum had been unsuccessful in conducting a fact-finding mission in New Caledonia to assess months of deadly unrest in the French territory, saying it was due to “some misunderstanding”.

A Pacific geopolitical expert has said the breakdown originated from France trying to control the mission’s parameters and its narrative - a claim French ambassador to the Pacific Veronique Roger-Lacan publicly denied.

Ten people had died in protests linked to France’s attempt to expand voting rights in New Caledonia, which pro-independence groups believed diluted the power of the indigenous Kanaky community.

“We would like to see that happen, and I believe that [the Pacific Islands Forum] has a role in this, [in] settling this in-house, and yes, we will get it done,” Waqa said.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters (right) speaks with PIF secretary-general Baron Waqa (centre) and United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres. Photo / Adam Pearse

New Caledonian President Louis Mapou, who had not yet arrived in Tonga, had been a vocal critic of France regarding its approach to the mission, which was intended to occur before the forum which officially began from tomorrow.

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka today said he agreed with Mapou, saying he’d expressed similar concerns when Pacific leaders met in Japan earlier this year.

“When we met in Japan, I asked, ‘Who are we if we are going to New Caledonia? What are we going as and on whose invitation?

“So those were the issues, the questions that I hope have been answered since Japan, and when we meet together this coming week, those of us who are going to be delegated to be part of the forum, talking to New Caledonian authorities, will have a fairer idea on where we’re coming from.”

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka takes questions from media after a church service in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon would arrive in Tonga late on Tuesday ahead of the forum’s retreat, where leaders could discuss matters without officials present. It was expected New Caledonia would be among the primary issues.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who arrived yesterday with a delegation, reiterated his view that there hadn’t been enough time to conduct the mission ahead of the forum and advocated for regional leaders to discuss the matter together.

Peters had spent his first morning in Tonga at church alongside many other Pacific leaders, having flown over with some of them from Auckland yesterday.

NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters (far left) reads the programme during a church service in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse

He then attended a formal lunch where he had interactions with Waqa and United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

Peters was hesitant to reveal what he’d discussed with other leaders, saying it was “private”.

He acknowledged he’d given advice to Luxon ahead of his first forum as PM, but that too Peters didn’t share.

Asked what advice Peters might give to a leader going to their first forum, Peters said: “Listen to their Foreign Minister.”

Tomorrow, Peters would attend the forum’s opening ceremony and hold the first of several bilateral meetings with representatives of other countries.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald’s press gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.