Stories by Patrick Decloitre

"Children were falling to the ground, everyone was falling all around, it was panic" when the earthquake struck, group supervisor says.

As French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government has fallen to a motion of no confidence just three months after coming to office, New Caledonia is among the major victims.

The New Zealand Foreign Minister's schedule will include meetings with "a wide range of government, political, business and civil society leaders" from 3 to 5 December.

French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said even though there remained some "sensitive areas", New Caledonia was on the path to experiencing a "return to normal".

This followed an earlier ruling on 22 October 2024 from the Court of Cassation, which is tasked to rule on possible procedural mistakes in earlier judgements.

New Caledonia's largest pro-independence party unveiled the main outcome of its Congress last weekend, including its plans for the French Pacific territory's political future.

Small and medium business federation president Nicole Moreau says the crisis following the May 2024 riots was not only human and economic, but also social.

A round-up of news in brief from French Pacific territories, including a group of young New Caledonians arriving in Aotearoa this week as part of an ongoing regional mobility scheme.

President Jacques Lalié has been disqualified to contest the next provincial elections after he was found guilty of "favouritism" on Tuesday.

New Caledonia's chiefly community is mourning the death of Great Chief William Boarat, from the district of Koumac (far north-eastern tip of the main island of New Caledonia).

Within the pro-independence camp, the two main moderate parties UPM and PALIKA have reacted favourably, although they have recently distanced themselves from UC.

Tjibaou's election on Sunday comes as UC's former leader, Daniel Goa, 71, announced last week he did not intend to seek another mandate.

A round-up of news in brief from the French Pacific, including New Caledonia's mayors asking France for more money.

There's been a flurry of news conferences from several pro-independence parties, all clarifying their respective stance and relationship with the FLNKS. Audio

New Caledonia's Progressist Union in Melanesia (UPM), one of the historic founding members of FLNKS, has announced its official withdrawal from the pro-independence umbrella. Audio

Analysis - The chairs of both French Parliament's upper and lower Houses arrived in New Caledonia on Sunday night for a crucial three-day visit.

Tourism and the environment are among the concerns raised by French Polynesian MP Tepuaraurii Teriitahii in reaction to the reelection of Donald Trump. Audio

A round-up of news in brief from the French Pacific, including parishioners returning to a burned mission site in New Caledonia.

The three-day visit to from Pacific leaders seems to have triggered a new sense of awareness locally about the values of Pacific regional mechanisms of "talanoa", writes Patrick Decloitre.

The Pacific Islands Forum leaders' troika, along with Fiji's prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, touched down in New Caledonia on Sunday. Audio

A high-level Pacific Islands Forum mission to New Caledonia scheduled to begin on Sunday is described as "strictly observational".

The French Pacific archipelago was on the agenda of a top meeting in Paris on Tuesday evening, Paris time. Audio

"The time has come to return to dialogue, discussion, exchange, after the terrible (events) New Caledonia has been through." Audio

The much-awaited travel has now been agreed to take place from 27 to 29 October, New Caledonia's President Louis Mapou confirmed on Sunday.

France's Minister for Overseas François-Noël Buffet said on top of the some €400 million already disbursed in emergency assistance, France remains committed to New Caledonia.