New Caledonian official lauds Azerbaijan's role in fight against French neo-colonialism Interview with Marie-Lyn Sakilia

Speaking to Trend, Marie-Lyn Sakilia, the deputy chairperson of the New Caledonia Parliament's Commission on Family and Women's Affairs, has praised Azerbaijan for contributing to the fight against France's neo-colonialist policies.

According to her, Azerbaijan's Baku Initiative Group has raised international awareness about France's desire to maintain its colonies and Europe's attempts to influence the commodities market. She also pointed out that France's current policy towards the Pacific is no different from its past actions, particularly in Africa in the 1960s.

Sakilia believes that the proclamation of the sovereignty of a state like Kanaky (New Caledonia) is a preparation for cooperation agreements. She noted that French climate diplomacy is using various means to balance sustainable development and energy security, such as France's 2030 investment plan. Under this plan, New Caledonia has adopted an Energy Transition Scheme (STENC), which aims to green its energy supply system. However, the nickel crisis, which is aimed at reducing the dependence of industrialists Prony Resources and Société Le Nickel on crude ore exports, has affected local production and determined the level of involvement of the administering power in solving decarbonisation problems related to "access to raw materials".

"New Caledonia's energy supply system, which is in deficit 'thanks to the concept of greening our energy', is nationalised and managed by the French subsidiary EEC, a subsidiary of ENGIE, which is helping to develop the local nickel industry," she explained.

Marie-Lyn Sakilia noted that New Caledonia's large slag nickel reserves will help attract foreign direct investment from France to the detriment of stainless steel production, which is considered to have much less potential.

"New Caledonia began mining nickel in 1876 and continues to do so to this day, with a cumulative production (1876-2015) of 6.21 million tonnes of nickel, or 10.2 per cent of all nickel mined globally. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the French policy of 'what is good for the security of France is also good for the security of the local government, and vice versa'. However, the policy of pre-square is not necessarily good for our vital Pacific space because we Oceanians have a different vision of the world," she said.

Sakilia expressed her concern about France's policies in the Pacific and their impact on the local population. She believes that the Pacific culture gives room for other national policies and interests in terms of economic diplomacy, especially in terms of national cuisines, as well as the supply of raw materials. She argued that the depletion of these resources would be tantamount to the extinction of Asian peoples, which is unthinkable.

Sakilia thinks that France has repeatedly tried to keep New Caledonia within the French Republic since 2020. She believes that the recent referendum was marked by a high number of abstentions, with more than half of the voters boycotting the vote. Despite this, Ministers Sébastien Lecornu and Gérald Darmanin have started discussing the institutional future of New Caledonia by changing the format of the debate and including civil society and local economic players.

"A Lepredour group led by up to ten political actors has been created to replace the Signatories Committee with a closed-door dialogue the day after the second legislative referendum," a Caledonian parliamentarian said in conclusion.