MSG pushes Kanaky decolonisation back onto PIF agenda

Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) director general Anna Naupa has expressed concerns about the progress of decolonisation in the region, particularly in relation to the Kanaky people of New Caledonia.

Following the MSG leaders meeting yesterday, Ms Naupa said the sub-regional group had agreed to take the matter forward to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

She said the issue had lost prominence over the years, noting that the forum played a critical role in the 1980s in helping secure New Caledonia's inscription on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

However, she said the forum had not maintained the same level of attention on New Caledonia's decolonisation process.

"Through one of those areas that the MSG grouping is taking forward is to get that recognition back on the table in front of the Pacific Islands Forum to see that this is discussed regularly and until the processes towards self-government are assessed as such by the UN through to the end," Ms Naupa said.

"And so, to have this on the table every year, we are in the fourth UN decade on decolonisation and it ends in 2030. That means we only have four years left and yet our Kanaky brothers and sisters are still going through a very protracted process."

Ms Naupa said the MSG recognised that France had not been an honest broker in the process and was seeking greater attention to the issue through the PIF and the UN.

The MSG meeting was held on the margins of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.

The Prime Ministers of Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands were not present. Their countries were represented at ministerial level.

Ms Naupa said the absence of the leaders did not affect the functioning of the MSG or the forum.

"I believe we should not read too much into the presence or absence of leaders. Over the many years, there's always been different levels of representation," Ms Naupa said.

She said leaders also had domestic priorities to attend to.