The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Acting under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure, the committee called on France to ensure that any measures linked to New Caledonia’s decolonisation and political future are carried out only through transparent and meaningful consultations with Kanak representative institutions.
The committee said recent efforts to alter the political framework established by the Nouméa Accord could weaken core protections embedded within the agreement, including the principle of “irreversibility” tied to the territory’s decolonisation process.
Signed in 1998, the accord laid out a gradual path towards greater autonomy for New Caledonia, recognised Kanak identity, and created a mechanism for the territory’s population to determine its political future through self-determination votes.
According to the committee, the proposed reforms could negatively affect rights protected under the international convention, particularly the Kanak people’s right to political participation.
The UN body expressed concern that reforms affecting the Kanak Indigenous People had reportedly advanced without proper consultation or effective participation from their representative institutions.
It pointed to reports that negotiations held behind closed doors in Bougival in early 2025 between French authorities and political actors resulted in a new agreement on New Caledonia’s future, alongside a draft bill seeking to expand the territory’s electoral body.
The committee said these steps were allegedly pursued without securing the free, prior and informed consent of the Kanak Indigenous People. It also warned that the current process promoted by the French government no longer appeared to constitute a genuinely multilateral negotiation involving the people of New Caledonia.
The committee urged France to adopt immediate and concrete measures to guarantee the effective participation of the Kanak Indigenous People in public affairs and ensure that any reforms are based on inclusive and participatory dialogue.
It stressed that all measures connected to New Caledonia’s decolonisation and self-determination process should involve consultations aimed at obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of the Kanak people.
The committee also voiced deep concern over allegations of excessive and disproportionate use of force by law enforcement during demonstrations in May 2024 linked to the proposed reforms.
It further raised concerns over reports that several Kanak human rights defenders associated with the independence movement had been transferred to prisons in mainland France without consent.
The UN body called on France to ensure that all allegations of excessive force since May 2024 are investigated promptly, independently and effectively, and that those responsible are prosecuted where appropriate. It also said victims should receive full reparations.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings an...
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited...
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude...
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. threats to impose sanctions on and bomb Oman following reported talks between Muscat and Tehran on jointly overseeing...
Kenyan authorities have arrested eight students on suspicion of arson following a fire at a girls’ boarding school that killed 16, according to the ...
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited access to healthcare, according to London-based pharmacist and health commentator Thorrun Govind.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. threats to impose sanctions on and bomb Oman following reported talks between Muscat and Tehran on jointly overseeing the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that the Islamic Republic’s actions in the strategic waterway are “lawful”.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a three-day state visit focused on energy, transport and economic cooperation with one of Moscow’s closest regional partners.
Muslims around the world have marked Eid al-Adha with prayers, celebrations and acts of charity, though for many Palestinians the holiday unfolded amid conflict, restrictions and loss.
Kenyan authorities have arrested eight students on suspicion of arson following a fire at a girls’ boarding school that killed 16, according to the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The blaze, which happened in Kenya's Rift Valley, also injured dozens of students.
The British government has unveiled 300,000 new work experience and training placements for young people after a major review warned that rising youth unemployment could leave more young people disconnected from work, education and training.
Billions of dollars' worth of gold continue to be extracted illegally from Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, according to a Greenpeace study, despite President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s pledges to curb wildcat mining.
Soaring temperatures across Europe have broken records in Portugal and sparked heat alerts in Italy and France, affecting events including the French Open tennis tournament.
NATO member Romania reported on Friday that a Russian drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment