A combined military exercise has been taking place in New Caledonia.
Troops from France, Australia, Vanuatu, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand are in the territory to improve their cooperation in preparing for a natural disaster or civil unrest.
The director of strategic and defence studies at the Australian National University, Robert Ayson, says the exercise is takes place every two years.
"They've been taking place since 2000. So by about 2000 you have head of steam in that relationship and you also have a recognition in the Pacific that there's some common interest in trying to meet natural disasters and sometimes human-made disasters as well."
Robert Ayson.
