eastasiaforum.org
Vanuatu turns to international law in fight for sovereignty
Tiny territories sometimes generate long-lasting disputes between states — the France–Vanuatu contest over Matthew and Hunter Islands, known in Vanuatu as Umaenupne and Umaeneg or Leka, is one such case. For Pacific island states like Vanuatu, international law has become a strategic tool to defend sovereignty, build diplomatic support and advance decolonisation. After decades of disagreement, the July 2026 negotiations in Paris ended in failure. In a declaration afterwards, Vanuatu’s Minister of Finance Johnny Koanapo framed the dispute as unfinished decolonisation and a test of sovereign equality. He also expressed Vanuatu’s determination to explore legal action under international law, and on 1 September 2026 Vanuatu filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), pending French consent to its jurisdiction. The territorial dispute is rooted in colonial history. In 1962, when France and the United Kingdom jointly administered the New Hebrides — the colonial name for Vanuatu — an eccentric claim of private ownership led them to attach the Matthew and Hunter Islands to New Caledonia, without consulting local populations. That is why Port Vila bases its claim on the self-determination principle in addition to its ancient cultural and spiritual connections with the southern communities. In turn, French authorities...
