Vanuatu Challenges French Sovereignty Over Disputed Pacific Islands

Vanuatu has filed an application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against France over the disputed Matthew and Hunter Islands. Paris, however, has said it will not relinquish its sovereignty over the territories and will respond to the court's application "in due course."

France has reiterated that it will not give up its sovereignty over the Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are also claimed by Vanuatu. French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships Eléonore Caroit made the statement during the 55th meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum.

In its application to the ICJ, Vanuatu is seeking recognition of its sovereignty over the islands, known as Umaenupne (Matthew) and Umaeneg/Leka (Hunter), as well as the establishment of a single maritime boundary between the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of Vanuatu and France.

The case has also attracted attention from the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), an international non-governmental organization based in Azerbaijan that has expressed support for Vanuatu's position in the dispute. BIG has said it stands ready to facilitate dialogue between the parties and provide an impartial platform for consultations over the maritime border issue.

The application is based on Article 38, paragraph 5, of the ICJ Rules. This mechanism allows a state to bring a case before the court even when the other party has not previously consented to the court's jurisdiction.

However, the ICJ has indicated that no procedural steps will be taken and the case will not be entered on the court's General List unless France accepts the court's jurisdiction in the matter.

Thus, while Vanuatu's application has brought the long-standing diplomatic and legal dispute back into the spotlight, whether the case will actually be heard by the ICJ currently depends on France's decision on whether to accept the court's jurisdiction.

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