Kanaky New Caledonia Mathias Chauchat (bio) The year 2020 left Kanaky New Caledonia in a worrying situation, with an economic crisis linked to the pandemic, rising debt, and the country's 2022 budget not being approved and a yes/no referendum that placed two camps in an almost equal face-off. Turnout in the 2020 referendum was overwhelming at 85.69 percent, and out of 180,799 registered voters, 53.26 percent voted no to independence and 46.74 percent voted yes (High Commission of the French Republic in New Caledonia 2020). Adding to these troubles, as 2021 began, the tension around the sale of Vale's Southern nickel processing plant became increasingly violent. However, the country showed resilience. In March, an agreement was reached on the Southern plant, ending roadblocks and demonstrations across New Caledonia. Despite the covid-19-linked bereavements, the country's health-care system held up well against the disease, and good progress was made with vaccination. Further, all institutions (Congress, customary Senate, and government) were renewed to the advantage of the pro-independence parties. Nevertheless, a dark shadow hung over the picture: the French State and the nonindependentists demanded a rapid third referendum to remove uncertainties—as early as December 2021 instead of October 2022, as provided for in the Nouméa Agreement—resulting in massive nonparticipation of the independentists. The Nouméa Accord ended in a huge mess. In 2021, the multinational company Vale pushed hard to sell its 95 percent share in the Southern hydrometallurgical complex, the remaining 5 percent belonging to the Société de Participation Minière du Sud Calédonien (spmsc, South New Caledonian Mining Holding Company), a holding company run by the three New Caledonian provinces. Above all, Vale demanded a radical change in strategy: in addition to [End Page 466] the export of a less processed product (nickel hydroxide cake), it demanded access to the mineral reserves of Goro saprolites, richer in content than laterites, for export. Vale required this access to the mine to balance its finances and to find a buyer. This would be a very serious blow to the "nickel doctrine" supported by the pro-independence parties, which stipulates that the ore must be transformed rather than sold raw. Political conflict was inevitable. The situation became violent at the end of 2020 and reached its climax in early 2021. Vale drew up a report on the impacts of this violence on 1 February: more than two billion cfp francs in direct destruction onsite and at least five times that in indirect damage (us$1 = about 107.23 cfp francs). Heavy mining machinery, vehicles, tires, oil stocks, and buildings were set on fire. Forty-eight people came under judicial investigation (La Première 2020). However, on 4 March, a "political agreement" on the proposed sale of Vale NC was signed between the Southern Province and the Usine du Sud = Usine Pays (Southern Plant = Country's Plant) collective, which unites customary chiefs, environmental groups, trade unionists, and members of the independence coalition Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (flnks), ending six months of violent mobilization. This agreement was the first of its kind, leading to the emergence of a new mining model involving the rental rather than sale of mining titles to the operator. Vale NC sold its titles to a new structure representing New Caledonian interests, which then leased them to the new operator, Prony Resources (associated with the Swiss multinational company Trafigura). In other words, these mining titles, which are worth more than 50 billion cfp francs, belong to a local company, Sud Nickel, a subsidiary of PromoSud (which is owned by the Southern Province). Prony Resources is governed by four shareholding entities: the spmsc (30 percent), which represents the three provinces; Fidal fiducie (21 percent), which represents Prony Resources employees and the local population; Trafigura (19 percent); and Compagnie Financière de Prony (30 percent), which represents factory executives and investors (Prony Resources 2022). Together, spmsc and Fidal fiducie hold a 51 percent share, while Trafigura and Compagnie Financière de Prony (ie, the private sector) hold only a 49 percent share. Vale Canada, owner of 95 percent of Vale Nouvelle-Cal...
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Jan 1, 2022
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