Vanuatu has officially appealed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in protest of France's continued colonial policy and its illegal territorial claims over Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are under its jurisdiction.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by the Baku Initiative Group.
It was noted that the appeal also includes a demand for the resolution of the issue of maritime boundary delimitation between Vanuatu and Kanaky (New Caledonia), which is under French colonial rule.
It was stated that three rounds of negotiations were held between Vanuatu and France regarding the status of the islands and the delimitation of the Vanuatu-Kanaky maritime border:
"Despite this, the process remained inconclusive due to France's unconstructive approach to a fair and legal resolution of the issue based on the fundamental principles of international law, its disregard for Vanuatu's sovereignty, and its continuation of territorial claims inherited from colonialism."
It should be noted that Vanuatu is an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in the Melanesia region. The country is an archipelago of approximately 83 islands, located northeast of Australia and east of New Caledonia. Matthew and Hunter Islands are two small but strategically important islands located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, between Vanuatu's southern islands and Kanaky (New Caledonia), which is under French colonial rule.
The legal status of these islands, with a total land area of 1.3 km², is not limited solely to the issue of sovereignty; their belonging directly affects the determination of surrounding territorial waters, the exclusive economic zone (350,000 km²), and the continental shelf, as well as the delimitation of the maritime border between Vanuatu and Kanaky. The existence of an exclusive economic zone of approximately 350,000 km² around the islands further increases their strategic and economic importance.
Kanaky's pro-independence forces have repeatedly supported Vanuatu's position regarding Matthew and Hunter Islands. This position was formalized in the Kéamu agreement signed between the Vanuatu government and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front in 2009 and reaffirmed in subsequent years. In May 2026, FLNKS leader Christian Tein reiterated this support. Furthermore, the Customary Senate of New Caledonia recognized the islands' connection to Vanuatu in 2009.
