Kanak independence movement rejects Bougival Accord over sovereignty breach

New Caledonia’s main independence coalition, the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) has formally withdrawn its support for the the Bougival Accord, citing France’s political misuse of the process and what it describes as a blatant disregard for the sovereignty of Kanaky’s institutions.

In an official letter addressed to the President of France, the Prime Minister, the Presidents of the National Assembly and Senate, and the Prefect representing France in Kanaky (New Caledonia), FLNKS representatives declared the retraction of their signatures initially appended to the agreement on July 12, 2025, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

According to a statement released by the movement, the signatories emphasized that their endorsement applied only to a preliminary draft presented for discussion, and was not intended to be legally binding or final. However, the subsequent publication of the agreement in France’s Journal Officiel, coupled with its portrayal by the French government as a “historic agreement,” was condemned by FLNKS as a deliberate distortion and a politicized breach of trust.

The letter further denounces France’s coercive approach in attempting to enforce the Bougival Accord, asserting that such actions undermine the sovereignty of Kanaky’s governing bodies. FLNKS insists that the only legitimate and internationally recognized pathway forward lies in the initiation of a decolonization process, as defined under international law.

At the 45th FLNKS Congress held on August 9, 2025, delegates unanimously rejected the Bougival Accord and empowered the political bureau to take all necessary measures—including legal action—to contest the misuse of their signatures.

“France’s manipulation of the agreement and its publication as a definitive accord amounts to political exploitation,” the FLNKS stated. The movement is now calling for the official annulment of the signatures and immediate notification of the French authorities and international stakeholders.

The Bougival Accord, signed in the eponymous French town near Paris on July 12, was intended to define a new political framework for the status of Kanaky. However, FLNKS and other pro-independence groups argue that the accord effectively curtails Kanaky’s aspirations for full sovereignty, limiting rather than enabling its self-determination.

Amid growing international scrutiny, the Baku Initiative Group convened an international conference in New York on September 25, on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The conference focused on the adverse implications of the Bougival Accord, bringing together key figures from New Caledonia’s independence movement and global decolonization advocates.

By Vafa Guliyeva