Editing New Caledonia (section)

=== Status ===
{{Further|Foreign relations of New Caledonia}}
New Caledonia has been a member of the [[Pacific Community]] since 1983 with Nouméa the home of the organization's regional headquarters. Since 1986, the [[United Nations Committee on Decolonization]] has included New Caledonia on the [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/decolonization/nonselfgov.shtml#1 |title=Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories (1945–1999) |publisher=[[United Nations]] |access-date=29 June 2017 |archive-date=6 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006064439/http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/nonselfgov.shtml#1 |url-status=live }}</ref> An [[1987 New Caledonian independence referendum|independence referendum]] was held the following year, but independence was rejected by a large majority.[[File:Administrative divisions of New Caledonia.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|Pyramid graph illustrating the administration of New Caledonia]]

Under the [[Nouméa Accord]], signed in 1998 following a period of secessionist unrest in the 1980s and approved in [[1998 New Caledonian Nouméa Accord referendum|a referendum]], New Caledonia was granted special status. Twenty years after inception, the Nouméa Accord required an [[2018 New Caledonian independence referendum|referendum on independence]] which was held on 4 November 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/19/new-caledonia-sets-date-independence-referendum-france|title=New Caledonia sets date for independence referendum|website=The Guardian|access-date=20 March 2018|date=19 March 2018|last=Willsher|first=Kim|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025142615/https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/19/new-caledonia-sets-date-independence-referendum-france|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201787812/paris-meeting-to-prepare-new-caledonia-independence-vote|title=Paris meeting to prepare New Caledonia independence vote|website=Radio New Zealand|access-date=2016-03-08|date=2016-02-02|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308001209/http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201787812/paris-meeting-to-prepare-new-caledonia-independence-vote|url-status=live}}</ref> The result was that 56.9% of voters chose to remain with France.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/04/new-caledonia-votes-non-to-independence-from-france|title=New Caledonia votes 'non' to independence from France|agency=Reuters|date=2018-11-04|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-11-04|archive-date=6 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206051007/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/04/new-caledonia-votes-non-to-independence-from-france|url-status=live}}</ref> The Nouméa Accord required [[2020 New Caledonian independence referendum|another independence referendum]], which was held on 4 October 2020. The result was that 53.26% of voters chose to remain with France.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/04/new-caledonia-rejects-independence-from-france-for-second-time|title=New Caledonia rejects independence from France for second time|date=2020-10-05|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2020-10-05|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420065852/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/04/new-caledonia-rejects-independence-from-france-for-second-time|url-status=live}}</ref> The third and last referendum permitted by the Nouméa Accord [[2021 New Caledonian independence referendum|was held on 12 December 2021]], confirming New Caledonia as part of the French Republic with 96% voting "no" to independence after the vote was boycotted by the bulk of the Kanak population.

The official name of the territory, {{lang|fr|Nouvelle-Calédonie}}, could be changed in the near future due to the accord, which states that "a name, a flag, an anthem, a motto, and the design of banknotes will have to be sought by all parties together, to express the Kanak identity and the future shared by all parties."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gouv.nc/static/pages/outils/telechargement/accordsNoumea.pdf| title=Les accords de Nouméa|author=Government of New Caledonia| access-date=11 August 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080405032022/http://www.gouv.nc/static/pages/outils/telechargement/accordsNoumea.pdf |archive-date = 5 April 2008 |language=fr |author-link=Government of New Caledonia}}</ref> To date, however, there has been no consensus on a new name for the territory, although ''Kanak Republic'' is popular among 40% of the population.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://nouvellecaledonie.rfo.fr/article424.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627221108/http://nouvellecaledonie.rfo.fr/article424.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=27 June 2008| title=Société : La Nouvelle-Calédonie choisit un hymne et une devise| author=RFO| access-date=11 August 2008| author-link=Réseau France Outre-mer}}</ref> New Caledonia has increasingly adopted its own symbols, choosing an anthem, a motto, and a new design for its banknotes.<ref name="monde1" /> In July 2010, the [[Congress of New Caledonia]] voted in favour of a wish to fly the [[Kanak people|Kanak]] flag of the independence movement [[Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front|FLNKS]] alongside the [[Flag of France|French tricolour]], as [[Flag of New Caledonia|dual flags of the territory]]. The wish, legally non-binding, proved controversial.<ref name="congress">{{cite web|url=http://www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca/pacifique/ncal-voeu-drapeau2010.htm|title=Nouvelle-Calédonie: Voeu sur le drapeau Kanaky de 2010|website=axl.cefan.ulaval.ca|access-date=26 November 2021|archive-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023193014/http://www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca/pacifique/ncal-voeu-drapeau2010.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="voeux">{{cite web| url = http://www.juridoc.gouv.nc/JuriDoc/jdJ201.nsf/JoncP/2010-06341/$File/2010-6341.pdf?OpenElement&root=2010&page=6341| title = Voeux n° 1 du treize juillet 2010| access-date = 26 November 2021| archive-date = 17 April 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210417013852/https://juridoc.gouv.nc/JuriDoc/jdJ201.nsf/JoncP/2010-06341/$File/2010-6341.pdf?OpenElement&root=2010&page=6341| url-status = live}}</ref> A majority of New Caledonian communes, but not all, now fly both flags, the rest flying only the French Tricolour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/nouvellecaledonie/2014/05/09/roch-wamytan-descendre-le-drapeau-kanak-est-un-geste-ignoble-il-ne-faut-plus-parler-de-destin-commun-150319.html|title=Roch Wamytan: "descendre le drapeau kanak est un geste ignoble, il ne faut plus parler de destin commun!"|website=Nouvelle-Calédonie la 1ère|date=9 May 2014 |access-date=26 November 2021|archive-date=26 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126140755/https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/nouvellecaledonie/2014/05/09/roch-wamytan-descendre-le-drapeau-kanak-est-un-geste-ignoble-il-ne-faut-plus-parler-de-destin-commun-150319.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The non-official adoption made New Caledonia one of the few countries or territories in the world with two flags. The decision to wish for the use of two flags has been a constant battleground between the two sides and led the coalition government to collapse in February 2011.<ref name="fr24">{{cite web |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20110826-france-sarkozy-urges-dialogue-over-violence-new-caledonia-airfare-protests |title=Sarkozy calls for dialogue over New Caledonia violence |publisher=France 24 |date=2011-08-26 |access-date=2013-01-30 |archive-date=7 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907145342/http://www.france24.com/en/20110826-france-sarkozy-urges-dialogue-over-violence-new-caledonia-airfare-protests |url-status=live }}</ref>