May 23, 2024
Macron visit interrupts Noumea airlift
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says today’s visit to New Caledonia by French President Francois Macron could mean a temporary halt to the airlift of New Zealanders from the riot-torn territory.
A New Zealand Defence Force Hercules plane travelled to Noumea on Tuesday and collected about 50 passengers.
Mr Peters says as well as the 200 or so remaining New Zealanders, requests are coming in from other countries to help evacuate their nationals.
“We’ve got Macron coming there. As a consequence we do not think we are going to make it to day because of the potential for unrest when he arrives, so I don’ think we are going to get a plane up today,” he says.
Mr Peters says there is potential for an emergency meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss what can be done.