CoveragePost
October 20, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A Paris appeal court has confirmed that Kanak pro-independence leader Christian Téin is now cleared to return to New Caledonia. In September, a panel of judges had pronounced they were in favour of Téin’s return to New Caledonia, but the Public Prosecution then appealed, suspending his ... <a title="French court clears accused Kanak leader to return to New Caledonia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/10/20/french-court-clears-accused-kanak-leader-to-return-to-new-caledonia/" aria-label="Read more about French court clears accused Kanak leader to return to New Caledonia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 14, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk As part of a never-ending rollercoaster of instability in French politics, the latest appointment of a Minister for Overseas has caused significant concern, including in New Caledonia. In the late hours of Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron approved the latest Cabinet lineup submitted to him by ... <a title="New minister in ‘rollercoaster’ French politics causes concern in New Caledonia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/10/14/new-minister-in-rollercoaster-french-politics-causes-concern-in-new-caledonia/" aria-label="Read more about New minister in ‘rollercoaster’ French politics causes concern in New Caledonia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 28, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific Correspondent French Pacific desk French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has ended an extended seven-day visit to New Caledonia with mixed feelings. On one hand, he said he was confident his “Bougival deal” for New Caledonia’s future is now “more advanced” after three sittings of a “drafting committee” made up ... <a title="French Overseas Minister pushes ahead with Bougival deal despite FLNKS snub" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/28/french-overseas-minister-pushes-ahead-with-bougival-deal-despite-flnks-snub/" aria-label="Read more about French Overseas Minister pushes ahead with Bougival deal despite FLNKS snub">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 26, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk French Prime Minister François Bayrou’s surprise announcement yesterday that he will call for a parliamentary confidence vote in his government is set to further complicate protracted talks in New Caledonia on the French territory’s political future. The announcement comes as French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls ... <a title="French PM’s confidence vote hits New Caledonia’s political negotiations" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/26/french-pms-confidence-vote-hits-new-caledonias-political-negotiations/" aria-label="Read more about French PM’s confidence vote hits New Caledonia’s political negotiations">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 24, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A newly established “drafting committee” held its inaugural meeting in Nouméa this week, aiming to translate the Bougival agreement — signed by New Caledonian political parties in Paris last month — into a legal and constitutional form. However, the first sitting of the committee on Thursday ... <a title="FLNKS snubs Nouméa constitutional reform talks for New Caledonia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/24/flnks-snubs-noumea-constitutional-reform-talks-for-new-caledonia/" aria-label="Read more about FLNKS snubs Nouméa constitutional reform talks for New Caledonia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 20, 2025
French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls is once again in New Caledonia for a four-day visit aimed at maintaining dialogue, despite a strong rejection from a significant part of the pro-independence camp. He touched down at the Nouméa-La Tontouta Airport last night on his fourth trip to New Caledonia since he took office in late ... <a title="French Overseas Minister in New Caledonia in bid to ‘save’ Bougival deal" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/20/french-overseas-minister-in-new-caledonia-in-bid-to-save-bougival-deal/" aria-label="Read more about French Overseas Minister in New Caledonia in bid to ‘save’ Bougival deal">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 14, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s pro-independence front, the FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front), has formally confirmed its “block rejection” of the French-sponsored Bougival project, signed last month. The pact has been presented as an agreement between all parties to serve as a guide for the French Pacific ... <a title="‘Full sovereignty and independence’: FLNKS rejects France’s Bougival project" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/14/full-sovereignty-and-independence-flnks-rejects-frances-bougival-project/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Full sovereignty and independence’: FLNKS rejects France’s Bougival project">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 1, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific Desk New Caledonia’s oldest pro-independence party, the Union Calédonienne (UC), has officially rejected a political agreement on the Pacific territory’s political future signed in Paris last month. The text, bearing the signatures of all of New Caledonia’s political parties represented in the local Congress — a total ... <a title="New Caledonia’s oldest party for independence rejects ‘Bougival’ deal" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/01/new-caledonias-oldest-party-for-independence-rejects-bougival-deal/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia’s oldest party for independence rejects ‘Bougival’ deal">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 17, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonian politicians who inked their commitment to a deal with France last weekend will be offered special police protection following threats, especially made on social media networks. The group includes almost 20 members of New Caledonia’s parties — both pro-France and pro-independence — who took ... <a title="Police protection for New Caledonian politicians following death threats" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/17/police-protection-for-new-caledonian-politicians-following-death-threats/" aria-label="Read more about Police protection for New Caledonian politicians following death threats">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 13, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s pro-and-anti-independence parties have committed to an “historic” deal over the future political status of the French Pacific territory, which is set to become — for the first time — a “state” within the French realm. The 13-page agreement yesterday, officially entitled “Agreement Project of ... <a title="New Caledonia’s political parties commit to ‘historic’ statehood deal" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/13/new-caledonias-political-parties-commit-to-historic-statehood-deal/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia’s political parties commit to ‘historic’ statehood deal">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 26, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk French President Emmanuel Macron has sent a formal invitation to “all New Caledonia stakeholders” for talks in Paris on the French Pacific territory’s political and economic future to be held on July 2. The confirmation came on Thursday in the form of a letter sent individually ... <a title="Macron invites all New Caledonia stakeholders for Paris talks" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/26/macron-invites-all-new-caledonia-stakeholders-for-paris-talks/" aria-label="Read more about Macron invites all New Caledonia stakeholders for Paris talks">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk One of seven people transferred to mainland France almost a year ago, following the May 2024 riots in New Caledonia, has been allowed to return home, a French court has ruled. Frédérique Muliava, a former Congress staffer, was part of a group of six who were ... <a title="Former Congress staffer allowed to return to Kanaky New Caledonia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/11/former-congress-staffer-allowed-to-return-to-kanaky-new-caledonia/" aria-label="Read more about Former Congress staffer allowed to return to Kanaky New Caledonia">Read more</a>
