Vanuatu Files ICJ Case Against France Over Pacific Islands

The Government of Vanuatu has filed an application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve a decades-long sovereignty dispute with France over two uninhabited volcanic islands, Matthew (Umaenupne) and Hunter (Umaeneg). Vanuatu seeks a judicial determination of ownership and the establishment of a single maritime boundary to define exclusive economic zones, which govern critical fishing rights and seabed resources.

The legal action follows the collapse of bilateral negotiations in Paris in July 2026. While talks occurred in 2018, 2019, and resumed in 2025, Vanuatu declared the process had reached an impasse earlier this year. Prime Minister Jotham Napat characterized the filing as an exercise of rights to address an unresolved colonial legacy, asserting the islands have always belonged to the people of Vanuatu.

The ICJ has forwarded the application to France but stated that no action will be taken unless France consents to the court's jurisdiction, as the French Republic has not agreed to compulsory jurisdiction over such disputes. Within France, the move has drawn political tension; while President Emmanuel Macron previously offered to resolve the dispute, right-wing leader Marine Le Pen argued the islands were not his to give away.

Support for Vanuatu's claim has emerged from pro-independence Kanak chiefs in New Caledonia. Conversely, French analysts warn that conceding the islands could set a legal precedent for other territorial disputes, such as those involving Clipperton Atoll.