New Caledonia is looking to Australia for aid to help rebuild its capital city after deadly riots.
The French territory was marred by civil unrest and riots that left 10 dead in May after controversial voting reforms were passed in Paris and the Indigenous Kanak people expressed concerns about their voice being drowned out.
New Caledonia believed it was eligible for the Australian infrastructure financing facility for the Pacific following the unrest, its representative to Australia Yves Lafoy said.
“We have approached Australia about a possible contribution to infrastructure reconstruction in Noumea,” he told a parliamentary hearing into Pacific priorities on Friday.
It comes as a delegation of Pacific leaders prepares to travel to New Caledonia ahead of a regional leaders meeting at the end of August to assess the situation and hear concerns from the Kanaky indigenous peoples.
Infrastructure was also raised as a priority for Solomon Islands, with High Commissioner to Australia Robert Sisilo saying economic development was the key focus of the new prime minister.
Climate resilience and education were also priorities, Sisilo said.
Smaller atoll islands were heavily impacted by the effects of climate change and assistance was needed for larger islands where there was agricultural land and a population concentrated along the coast, he said.
“Assistance in terms of climate change is certainly desperately needed,” he told the inquiry.
Education was expensive and students were often unable to pay high prices at an Australian university, he said.
Reduced fees that were more in line with what domestic students paid as opposed to exorbitant international rates would help.
“It’s an area where you can win the hearts and minds of Solomon Islanders in Australia, or (those) coming to study or play here and even work here,” he said.
“If Australia could step up in those areas, that would certainly be something that will contribute a lot to our economy and the welfare of our people.”
Tourism was also flagged as a large contributor to the economies of the Solomons and New Caledonia as both looked to take advantage of traveling Australians.
Pacific Islands Forum secretary general Baron Waqa flagged the need for a climate resilience plan so schools and health facilities in Pacific nations could continue to operate after a natural disaster.
