The French Ambassador for the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, visited Vanuatu to discuss a proposed free trade agreement and climate change initiatives with local leaders. She engaged with key diplomatic missions and visited several French-funded projects. The visit highlights France’s commitment to regional cooperation and cultural ties with Vanuatu.

The French Ambassador for the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, conducted her inaugural official visit to Vanuatu, a neighboring island to New Caledonia, over the recent weekend. During this visit, she engaged in discussions with Vanuatu’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Jotham Napat, notably regarding a proposed free trade agreement with New Caledonia.

In collaboration with Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu, Ambassador Roger-Lacan addressed a spectrum of climate change issues, notably highlighting the upcoming 3rd UN Oceans Conference (UNOC3), scheduled to take place in Nice in June 2025. She remarked on their discussions concerning pivotal oceanic matters, including the fight against deep sea mining and advanced waste management strategies.

Her meetings extended to the leaders of major diplomatic missions represented in Port Vila, comprising the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, where they examined shared regional concerns. All affiliated missions experienced damage due to the devastating December 2024 earthquake in the capital, Port Vila.

Ambassador Roger-Lacan also visited several key French-funded initiatives, including the Vanuatu National Museum, the National Council of Chiefs (Malvatumauri), and the recently reconstructed Chiefs’ Nakamal, which had succumbed to fire. The National University of Vanuatu (NUV) was also part of her itinerary.

In Vanuatu, France actively promotes various educational and cultural projects that emphasize the French language. Despite gaining independence in 1980, the former French-British condominium maintains French as an official language alongside English and local pidgin bislama. Vanuatu is a participant in both the Commonwealth and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).

The ambassador also connected with representatives from the French community in Vanuatu, which numbers around 2000, encompassing business, cultural, and educational leaders, during functions organized by her Vanuatu-based counterpart, Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer. She participated in a traditional kava drinking session, a significant cultural practice in Vanuatu.

Ambassador Roger-Lacan assumed her role in October 2023, with a mandate to enhance the integration of France’s Pacific territories—New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia—into their natural Pacific context.

Ambassador Véronique Roger-Lacan’s visit to Vanuatu marked a significant diplomatic engagement, focusing on trade, climate change, and cultural ties. The discussions on the free trade agreement and climate change initiatives demonstrate France’s commitment to fostering regional collaboration. Furthermore, her interactions with local French communities highlight the ongoing cultural connectivity between Vanuatu and France. This visit reflects France’s strategic approach to enhance its influence and presence in the Pacific region.

Original Source: www.rnz.co.nz

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