✅New Caledonia is a French territory in the South Pacific with a long-standing independence movement led by its Indigenous Kanak population. Tensions have resurfaced in 2024 after failed negotiations over its political future and voting rights reforms. 📍New Caledonia ✅New Caledonia is a small group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, around 1,200 km east of Australia. ✅It is a French overseas territory with a population of about 271,000. ✅While geographically part of Melanesia, it has been under French rule since 1853. ✅Even today, it remains politically tied to France, but the question of whether it should remain a part of France or become independent has been a deeply emotional and political issue — especially for the Indigenous Kanak people, who have long demanded sovereignty. 📍What was the Nouméa Accord (1998)? ✅The Nouméa Accord recognised the colonial trauma of the Kanak people and aimed to provide them with greater autonomy. ✅It created a unique political arrangement — a “sui generis” status: 🔰A local Congress with legislative powers 🔰Restricted voting rights to long-term residents (to protect Kanak political strength) Own citizenship status (New Caledonian) 🔰Most importantly, it agreed on three referendums on independence, to be held from 2018 to 2021. ✅Despite these the political and economic system remains unequal, dominated by French settlers and loyalists. ✅Kanaks face higher unemployment, poorer education and health indicators. #gs2 #ir