This book delves into the intricate political dynamics surrounding self-determination in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific, located off Australia’s east coast. It provides essential context on the peace agreements that ended civil unrest in the 1980s, delivering three decades of stability, but which have now concluded, leaving the territory at a crossroads.

The collection analyzes three recent referendums on independence, the last of which was boycotted by indigenous independence supporters, resulting in political division and renewed violence in early 2024. Through a carefully curated selection of essays, the book explores the root causes of this unrest and the challenges of negotiating New Caledonia’s future.

The anthology flags the broader geopolitical stakes for France and the Pacific region which are explored more deeply in a companion volume. It introduces why developments in New Caledonia hold strategic significance—not only for its people but also for Australia, the Pacific islands region, the western alliance, and France, with broader implications for the Indo-Pacific.

This volume is an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, journalists, business professionals, and general readers interested in self-determination, peacebuilding, and the shifting power dynamics in the Pacific. It offers a comprehensive reference on New Caledonia’s contentious political journey, highlighting its importance for regional stability, economic development, and France’s Indo-Pacific ambitions.

Denise Fisher is Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University’s Centre for European Studies, and its Department of Pacific Affairs, where she writes on France in the Pacific and Indo- Pacific. She was an Australian diplomat for 30 years, serving as a political and economic policy analyst in Australian missions in Rangoon, Nairobi, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Washington DC before being appointed Australian High Commissioner in Harare, accredited to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, and Malawi. As Australian Consul- General in Noumea, New Caledonia, from 2001 to 2004, she represented Australia in all of France’s Pacific territories, and at the Secretariat for the Pacific Community headquartered in Noumea. She is the author of France in the South Pacific: Power and Politics (2013). She holds a Master of Philosophy from the Australian National University and a Master’s in International Public Policy from John Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies Washington DC. She is a Chevalier in the French National Order of Merit.