France Welcomes New Caledonia’s New President Before Territory’s Final Independence Vote

French Minister for Local Authorities Sebastien Lecornu delivers a statement after a videoconference with the French president and French mayors at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 19, 2020. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

PARIS—France’s overseas territories minister on Thursday welcomed news that New Caledonia had elected Louis Mapou as its first pro-independence president since a 1998 deal with Paris to grant more political power to the French Pacific territory.

New Caledonia, which houses business operations for Brazilian multinational mining company Vale and French mining group Eramet, was hit by riots last year.