The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia is set to receive seven more mobile force units as reinforcements, the Elysée announced on Monday. This comes as the state of emergency, which was put in place due to widespread unrest, is scheduled to end on Tuesday morning local time.
The past two weeks have seen a wave of violence in New Caledonia, with seven people killed, hundreds arrested, and significant damage to buildings and cars. The unrest was sparked by a disputed electoral reform and exacerbated by economic disparities between the indigenous Kanak population and those of European descent.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the territory in an attempt to calm tensions, but a man was shot dead by police the following day. In response, an additional 480 gendarmes will be deployed to bring the total number of French security forces in New Caledonia to around 3,500.
The decision to lift the state of emergency signals Paris’s commitment to de-escalation and dialogue. The main pro-independence coalition, FLNKS, has called for a non-repressive political solution to ease tensions.
While the roadblocks hindering movement and supply of essential goods remain in place, the lifting of the state of emergency is seen as a step towards facilitating negotiations. The situation in New Caledonia remains tense, with no announcement yet on the night curfew imposed by local authorities or the closure of the international airport until June 2.