Baku Initiative Group Condemns France's Continuous Colonial Policy In New Caledonia

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 19.​ The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has criticized France for continuing colonial practices in New Caledonia under the Bougival Accord, calling it contrary to the principles of the Kanak people's independence movement, Trend reports.

The BIG statement highlighted that representatives of Kanak independence movements and the French government signed the agreement on July 12, 2025, which attempts to maintain New Caledonia under colonial control.

The group emphasized that at the 45th Congress of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), the Bougival Accord was firmly rejected, with delegates affirming the 1998 Nouméa Accord as the legal foundation for New Caledonia's decolonization and declaring the Bougival Accord inconsistent with it. The FLNKS plans to declare independence within the framework of the“Kanaki Accord,” a legal roadmap guiding New Caledonia toward full sovereignty between 2025 and 2030, while defining temporary relations with France.

BIG further criticized France for attempting to pressure New Caledonia through the Bougival Accord. French Overseas Minister Manuel Valls stated that he would initiate discussions on revising the agreement during his August visit, warning that failure to implement it would result in political, economic, and social crises. BIG described these statements as blatant coercion and reaffirmed support for the Kanak people's right to determine their own future.

The statement also highlighted that France is attempting to pressure New Caledonia through the Bougival Accord using various means.

"French Overseas Minister, Manuel Valls, announced that he would initiate discussions on revising the Bougival Accord during his visit to New Caledonia from August 19 to 23.

Valls warned that failure to implement the agreement could expose New Caledonia to political, economic, and social risks. His assertion that 'there is no alternative' to the Bougival Accord has been widely perceived locally as an act of coercion and undue pressure.

A meeting of the Bougival Accord's drafting committee is scheduled for August 21, 2025, where Valls is expected to provide comments and propose further amendments. Despite the clear stance of the Kanak people, this effort is viewed as a continuation of France's attempts to impose the agreement," the statement added.

The BIG reaffirmed its support for the Kanak people's right to self-determination, emphasizing that their future must be secured through full independence rather than any imposed or artificial agreement:

"These recent measures by France directly contravene international law principles and represent an unacceptable continuation of colonial practices. International law and UN resolutions mandate that the Kanak people's future can only be safeguarded through complete independence, not through concessions or false agreements," the statement concluded.

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