The French South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia will have a third referendum on possible independence from France on December 12 this year, said French government minister Sebastien Lecornu on Wednesday.
New Caledonia, which houses business operations for mining company Vale and mining group Eramet, has been hit by riots in recent months.
Up to three referendum were permitted under the terms of the 1998 Noumea Accord, an agreement enshrined in France’s constitution and which set out a 20-year path towards decolonisation.
New Caledonia, which rejected independence from France in previous referendums in 2018 and 2020, enjoys a large degree of autonomy but depends heavily on France for matters such as defence and education.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Dominique Vidalon)
