France government has contributed to the reconstruction of the Malvatumauri national nakamal in Port Vila. A year ago, in November 2022, Secretary of State Chrysoula Zacharopoulou made an official visit to Vanuatu. She took part in an event at the Chiefs Nakamal.
France government has contributed to the reconstruction of the Malvatumauri national nakamal in Port Vila.
A year ago, in November 2022, Secretary of State Chrysoula Zacharopoulou made an official visit to Vanuatu.
And she did remember it, because when 2 months later she saw in the news that the Chiefs Nakamal burned down, she was truly sorry. Later she contacted the Ambassador France to ask how France could help rebuild.
When she met Minister Jotham Napat in Paris shortly afterwards, she promised a financial contribution.
When the President Emmanuel Macron paid a historic visit to Vanuatu at the end of July, he too made a point of coming here, to the Nakamal site, to meet the chiefs. And he confirmed that France would contribute financially to the reconstruction.
This week His Excellency Ambassador France in Vanuatu, Jean Baptist Jeangene Vilmer was proud to present the cheque for over one million five hundred thousand vatus (1,556,000 VUV), which should help finance the Nakamal’s roof in Natangora leaves. For us, this choice to focus on the roof is no accident: firstly, because symbolically, the roof is what protects, what brings security; and secondly, because the manufacture of this roof in Natangora leaves will give work to women in the villages, it will contribute to the local economy. It is therefore twice as useful.
This story also shows that it makes sense to bring our authorities, our ministers, our president, to Malvatu Mauri when they are on an official visit to Vanuatu. And I can tell you that we are committed to doing so in the future. We will systematically bring you our visiting authorities.
France is well placed to recognize and understand the constitutional importance of the Malvatu Mauri in Vanuatu, because we have a similar institution in New Caledonia, the Customary Senate. I know that you already have a close relationship with the Caledonian Customary Senate, and I hope that this relationship will intensify in the future.
This is what I came to tell you, Chiefs: that you can count on France in difficult times, because we are friends, but also because we are close culturally, thanks to the ties you maintain with New Caledonia.