French President to travel "tonight" to New Caledonia
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to New Caledonia, a French territory in Oceania affected by acts of violence and after the reinforcement of security forces that aim to control the unrest.
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The trip, which had not been announced, forced a change in the agenda of Emmanuel Macron, who had planned a trip to Normandy, northern France, on Wednesday.
According to the Élysée Palace, "instead", he will travel to the archipelago in Oceania, east of Australia, which has been marked by armed clashes, looting, arson and other acts of violence.
The state of emergency in the overseas territory was declared by Paris last week and a thousand troops were sent to support the security forces that lost control of some areas of the capital, Noumea.
"The return to calm is beginning to arrive," said the spokesperson for the Élysée.
Noumea International Airport will remain closed to commercial flights until 09:00 on Saturday (22:00 on Friday in Lisbon), the director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the French archipelago of New Caledonia said today.
La Tontouta airport in Noumea has been closed to commercial flights since May 14 due to the blockades and violence that shook the French overseas territory in the South Pacific during the last week.
During the period from May 14 to 25, the cancellations of Aircalin flights, one of the airlines operating in Noumea and which is 99% owned by the local government, "cover a total of 85 flights and (affect) almost ten thousand passengers", declared Aircalin in a statement.
The first flights should be carried out today to remove the tourists retained in the archipelago of Oceania, marked by an independence revolt that started after the electoral reform approved in Paris.
The measure allows foreign residents for ten years in the archipelago to participate in the electoral act which caused opposition from local political forces that fear greater control of Paris.
Read Also: New Caledonia airport closed due to political instability (Portuguese version)
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