Nearly 3,000 soldiers from 19 countries are taking part until May 6 in New Caledonia, at sea and on land, in a military exercise called Croix du Sud to simulate a post-climate disaster humanitarian intervention.
Units from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, but also from neighboring Fiji will participate for fifteen days in this military exercise, the last edition of which dates back to 2018.
A total of 19 nations have sent men and sea and air resources to Noumea or are participating as observers in this exercise organized by France.
“
We have never gathered so many participants
,” General Valéry Putz, commander of the Armed Forces of New Caledonia (FANC), told AFP on Monday when welcoming the participants.
In the last edition five years ago, there were 11 different countries and 2100 people.
Natural disaster simulation
The exercise, which simulates a humanitarian intervention following a large-scale natural disaster, will take place mainly in the north of the archipelago.
It will mobilize ten ships and fifteen aircraft.
France is providing a large contingent this year, with the Joan of Arc mission, which arrived in Noumea on Thursday and includes the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude, the frigate La Fayette, three helicopters and around forty vehicles.
The stated objective is “
to maintain the coordination and joint intervention capacities of regional partners.
In this, the exercise responds to France's strategy in the Indo-Pacific, which is based on multilateralism and regional cooperation
,” explained General Putz.
Since 1992 and the signing of the Franz Agreement, France, Australia and New Zealand have intervened jointly, at their request, in the island countries of the Pacific that are victims of natural disasters.
A “ historic
” partnership
, now in competition with China, which also offers its aid to countries in the region, such as in early March in Vanuatu, after the consecutive passage of two cyclones which affected 75% of the population.
