France’s Indo-Pacific ambitions falter amid New Caledonia’s neocolonial crisis |
French President Emmanuel Macron has been vocal about the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific for France and Europe, positioning Paris as a pivotal player in a region central to global geopolitics. Yet, as France seeks to expand its influence in this vast and contested theater, the unresolved crisis in New Caledonia (NC) — a French overseas territory in the Pacific — casts a long shadow over its aspirations.
The ongoing push for sovereignty in New Caledonia, coupled with a forthcoming summit hosted by France to address the territory’s future, reveals a tension: Paris’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific are increasingly at odds with both its neocolonial legacy and the broader objectives of the West, particularly NATO. This dissonance exposes fissures within the Western alliance, as France pursues a distinct path that does not always align with the bloc’s agenda.
In any case, France’s Indo-Pacific strategy is not a novel endeavor but an extension of its historical presence in the region, rooted in colonial-era possessions like NC itself. Macron’s vision — bolstered by developments like the 2050 Initiative with Indonesia and the energy-focused diplomacy with the UAE — seeks to project France as a kind of a balancing power in a region dominated by US-China rivalry. France’s planned naval deployments alongside the UK and Italy in the Indo-Pacific further underscore this ambition.
These moves clearly are not without complications. The crisis in New Caledonia, where indigenous Kanak demands for independence have clashed with French control, reveals........