New Caledonia's President Alcide Ponga delivers his general policy speech 20 February 2025 Photo: Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Calédonie
New Caledonia's President makes general policy statement
New Caledonia's President Alcide Ponga delivered his general policy statement before the French territory's Congress with a strong focus on "pragmatism", efficiency", reform, cost-cutting and reconstruction, nine months after destructive riots brought the economy to an all-time low and the number of jobless to an all-time high.
Ponga, who heads New Caledonia's "Rassemblement-LR" party, said in the face of an "unprecedented crisis", it was everyone's duty to rebuild and for his government to kick-start reforms to cut public service costs and "save the economy".
As French minister for Overseas Manuel Valls landed on Saturday for political talks, he also urged all political stakeholders to get together and work on a new political agreement for New Caledonia's future and "give our children a future".
"We have to take this chance and the more we will be to take this path, the more a response will appear clearly. And this is a legacy we could be proud of".
"We are now at a time of choices, collective, but also individual choices", he said.
"We are still standing and it's not too late".
"And we all have to ask ourselves: what do we want?".
He also stressed his government, which came to power in January, will probably not last longer than nine months, because New Caledonia's provincial elections are scheduled to be held not later than 30 November 2025.
Cabinet reshuffle in French Polynesia
French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson (second right) appoints Oraihoomana Teururai (left) minister for land and housing Photo: Présidence de la Polynésie française
French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson has reshuffled his cabinet and appointed young Oraihoomana Teururai as minister for land and housing.
Teururai, in his early thirties, has already worked closely with Brotherson as an advisor on housing matters.
The reshuffle, Brotherson told a press conference, was to "optimise (his) government's efficiency" in what he described as his "dream team".
In the case of the reshuffled land and housing portfolio, it was also about speeding up the construction, by the end of 2025, of some 600 affordable housing units for lower income families.
Another portfolio, Post and Telecom was returned to economy, budget and finance minister Warren Dexter to "reinforce the coherence of economic and digital policies".
And a new portfolio, decentralisation, was created and allotted to another young minister, Jordy Chan, who is also in charge of public works.
Chan has been tasked to work on development-related matters for the South of the main island of Tahiti.
New Caledonia's Indonesian community celebrates 129 years
New Caledonia's Indonesian community celebrates 129 years of existence Photo: RRB
New Caledonia's Indonesian community commemorated the 129th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of indentured workers, on 16 February 1896.
They came from Java island and later worked mainly in the coffee and mining sectors.
During ceremonies held both in the capital Nouméa but also in the rural town of Païta, members of the community of all ages, dressed in traditional attire, paid tribute to the hard labour and often difficult lives of their forefathers whose descendants have since become an integral part of New Caledonia's ethnically diverse population.
New Caledonia's population of Indonesian ascent is currently estimated at about two thousand.
"It's important to remember them, because they've had to go through a lot of difficult things (...) Now they're fully part of New Caledonia's society.
"I like the Indonesian proverb that says: 'When you put your foot somewhere, you are honouring the sky' because it's exactly what they've been doing and that exactly what we should all do here", Païta Mayor Maryline d'Arcangelo told local media after the ceremonies."
French Polynesia's Chinese community's lantern march closes lunar New Year celebrations
French Polynesia's Chinese community's lantern march closes two weeks of lunar New Year celebrations Photo: Polynésie la 1ère
French Polynesia's Chinese community closed two weeks of lunar New Year celebrations in the capital Papeete.
The two-week series of events included the traditional Lion dances, marches, and prayers to usher in the Year of the Wooden Snake.
The events saw the participation of several hundred members of the affluent, long established, mixed and well integrated community in the French Pacific territory.
"This is also part of our culture, we are here to share this moment, me and my daughters", Rainui, a Chinese-Polynesian mother, told public broadcaster Polynésie La Première.
In New Caledonia, similar celebrations took place earlier this month by not only the affluent Chinese community, but also the important and well-integrated Vietnamese heritage group, which celebrated the "Têt", the Vietnamese version of the Lunar New Year.
New Papeete cruise liners terminal officially opened
The new Papeete cruise liners terminal was officially opened on 16 February 2025 Photo: Polynésie la 1ère
French Polynesia's capital Papeete has officially opened its new terminal building dedicated to welcoming international tourists aboard visiting cruise liners, a major source of income for the French Pacific territory.
The new building offers a surface of some 2,700 m² and has been officially named "Te Anuanua".
When on stopover, visiting tourists will be first ushered into a 300 m² of stalls dedicated to local craftsmanship.
The building also hosts a check-in area, another for tourist services providers and another 500 m² dedicated to promotional exhibitions and fairs.
Construction for the building started almost two years ago for a total cost of some 17.5 million US dollars, financed by the Tahiti Port Authority.
According to the 2025 official schedule, around 50 cruise ships will visit Papeete this year.
The newly-opened terminal welcomed its first group of 70 passengers from the "Star Breeze" ship.
Air Tahiti Nui and Air Rarotonga announce new partnership
Air Tahiti Nui, Air Rarotonga announce new partnership Photo: Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui (ATN) and Air Rarotonga, the international carriers from neighbouring French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, have entered into a new code-sharing and connectivity agreement to better integrate their respective destinations between Papeete, Rarotonga, the United States and France.
"Connections between flights and check-in processes will also be made easier from Papeete's Tahiti-Faa'a (PPT) and the Cook Islands' Rarotonga (RAR) international airports," ATN CEO Mathieu Bechonnet said.
Air Rarotonga plane lands at the Aitutaki airstrip. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
The Papeete/Rarotonga flights are jointly operated by Air Rarotonga (GZ) and Air Tahiti (VT), at a pace of four return flights per week connecting to ATN flights to and from Papeete.
ATN operates up to seven flights per week between Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Papeete (PPT) via Los Angeles (LAX) and up to eleven flights per week between Los Angeles and Tahiti, as well as two flights per week to Seattle.
