The takeover of the nickel plant of the Brazilian Vale, which has been agitating New Caledonia for several months, could find "
a solution in the days to come
", declared Sunday evening the president of the Congress of the archipelago on NC television. 1st.
"
We will perhaps in the coming days (negotiations) come out of the southern factory with a solution acceptable to all,
" declared Roch Wamytan, who is among the tenors of the FLNKS (Front de liberation national kanak socialiste , separatist).
Read also: Towards a New Caledonia led by the separatists
He specified that "
for 15 days
", he had accepted to be the facilitator of discussions, which take place "
practically every day
", between the southern province, chaired by the loyalist Sonia Backès, and the collective "
southern factory, country factory
”.
This collective, which brings together independence activists, Kanak chiefdoms, autochthonists and environmentalists, is fiercely opposed to the takeover of this world-class metallurgical unit by a Caledonian and international consortium, including the Swiss commodity trader, Trafigura.
On the other hand, the offer has the support of the State and the Southern Province.
While nickel is an eminently political subject, this issue triggered an outbreak of violence at the end of 2020. Since December 10, the plant, backed by the rich and strategic Goro deposit (south), has been shut down after being stormed by rioters.
Some 3,000 direct and indirect jobs are at risk.
Rising tensions
The escalation of tensions led the separatists to bring down the local collegiate government on February 2 before gaining a majority two weeks later thanks to an alliance with a pivotal party.
Monday morning, the Caledonian actors, who do not wish to communicate on the substance of the current negotiations, were to have a new exchange with the director of the Base Metals division of Vale Mark Travers, also indicated Mr. Wamytan, without further details. .
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Interministerial Committee for Industrial Restructuring (Ciri) of Bercy is also involved in these discussions which should "
review the initial round table
".
Called Prony Resources, the consortium with Trafigura initially planned for the Swiss trader to hold 25% of the capital, for 25% to go to a financial company supported by the outgoing management team and for 50% to go to public and private Caledonian interests.
Read also: The nickel war destabilizes New Caledonia
The new assembly could integrate "
a giant of mining and trading
" and "
a technically very sharp industrialist
".
At the beginning of February, Mark Travers had declared to the newspaper Les Echos, that it was becoming "
urgent to find a solution
", at the risk of "
a cocooning
" of the factory.
After having been the target of a multitude of abuses - fires, throwing stones, shooting from firearms, degradation - the industrial complex of Vale, under the protection of the gendarmerie, knows a lull since February 13, indicated to AFP a spokesperson for Vale-NC.
