Stories by Walter Zweifel

The French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has wrapped up a week of wide-ranging talks in New Caledonia trying to advance work on a new statute for the territory.

A pro-independence delegate has told the United Nations the Kanak people won't accept France's attempt to recolonise New Caledonia.

The question of New Caledonia regaining full sovereignty must be sorted by 2025, the territory's largest pro-independence party has said.

Emmanual Macron may have won convincingly Sunday's first round of the French presidential election in the Pacific territories, but the vote was marred by unprecedented levels of abstention.

As the French Pacific is gearing up for Sunday's first round of the French presidential election, incumbent Emmanuel Macron appears to be enjoying the most support among the 14 candidates.

There is growing unease over the French decision to hold New Caledonia's third and final independence referendum on December 12th.

French Polynesia is due to welcome an additional 100 doctors and nurses from France on Friday to help with the care of Covid-19 patients.

A high-level roundtable on France's nuclear legacy in French Polynesia will be held in Paris later this week, aimed at 'turning the page' on the aftermath of the weapons tests.

Political tension is rising in New Caledonia as a third referendum on independence from France is planned in December.

There is renewed alarm in French Polynesia over the legacy of the French nuclear weapons tests.

A third referendum on independence from France looms in New Caledonia unless talks over the next six months satisfy the aspirations of the Kanak people for more self-rule.

New Caledonia will have its second referendum on independence from France this Sunday amid expectation of a final showdown to come in two years. Audio

A further bidder has come forward to try to acquire New Caledonia's Brazilian-owned Vale nickel plant.

Renewed phosphate mining on Makatea in French Polynesia has come a step closer, amid resistance by environmental groups. Audio

An investigation has been opened in French Polynesia into claims that the government broke environmental laws with its Tahitian Village tourism project.

The anti-independence camp in New Caledonia is afraid that for the first time a mainly pro-independence government could be elected next week.

The unexpected rejection of compensation cases in French Polynesia has again thrown the spotlight on the apparent impasse over the legacy of France's nuclear weapons testing.

A party formed in New Caledonia just two months ago has become the potential kingmaker after the weekend election of a new Congress. Audio

Six months after New Caledonia voted against independence from France, this weekend's provincial elections will offer a new opportunity to test the same question.

China has restated that none of its fishing boats in French Polynesia is involved in any illegal fishing in the face of sustained criticism of China and its activities on social media.

China's consulate in French Polynesia says it will only pay what it owes to a Tahitian property owner if there is no negative mention of its officials on the internet.

There has been a war of words in French Polynesia after the opposition's Oscar Temaru faced his first ever formal police interrogation.

French Polynesia's autonomy statute is being updated amid growing calls to turn the territory into either an independent state associated with France or a fully sovereign nation. Audio

French Polynesia's politics is contaminated by its nuclear legacy, with the president Edouard Fritch now admitting that he lied about the French weapons tests. Audio

New Caledonia's political leadership is invited to Paris next month to discuss where to next after the victory of the anti-independence camp in last Sunday's referendum.