The French overseas minister Sebastien Lecornu is arriving in New Caledonia tonight for a two-week visit.
The French territory is two months away from its third and final independence referendum - after it voted twice to remain French.
But New Caledonia is in the grip of a severe Covid-19 crisis, which has cast doubt on whether the vote should even go ahead.
Worldwatch's Max Towle spoke to Walter Zweifel of RNZ Pacific
