French president pledges €3 billion for New Caledonia reconstruction after unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a substantial allocation of over €3 billion for the reconstruction and restoration of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, following mass protests that erupted a year ago.

The funding commitment was detailed by Macron during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"The French state has prioritised the restoration of the territory, for which more than €3 billion has been allocated to date," Macron stated. He acknowledged the gravity with which Paris viewed the unrest, noting it was "provoked by a number of factors" without elaborating on their specifics.

Looking ahead, the French head of state promised to unveil a "new project" for New Caledonia, signaling a fresh approach to its governance and future. To this end, he announced upcoming consultations in Paris next week, involving representatives from "all interested parties" to shape this initiative.

Intriguingly, Macron hinted at the inclusion of referendums within this new framework, stating, "First of all, this project involves holding referendums to answer 'yes' or 'no'." However, he concurrently expressed a nuanced perspective on referendums in the context of regional cultures, suggesting they are "not really suited to referendums" due to their reliance on principles of "cyclicality" and "harmonisation."

Despite these reservations, the President pledged to avoid past missteps, specifically referencing the "emptiness" experienced by New Caledonians after three previous referendums on the territory's independence from France.

By Vafa Guliyeva