The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, issued the following statement up on the conclusion of his mission to New Caledonia.
Noumea, New Caledonia, 13 February 2011 – "In my capacity as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, I have conducted a visit to New Caledonia from 4 to 13 February 2011…. The objective of my visit has been to hold consultations and receive information in order to examine the human rights situation of the indigenous people of the country – the Kanak people – while recognizing fully the history of New Caledonia. I have sought to understand the approaches that the Government of France as well as the Government of New Caledonia and the Kanak people have chosen in their efforts to progressively achieve a harmonious and productive coexistence among all sectors of the country’s population, through implementation of the Noumea Accord of 1998…."