Vanuatu has commenced two separate international legal proceedings against France over the sovereignty of Matthew and Hunter Islands and its maritime boundaries, Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Koanapo has confirmed.

Speaking in Parliament, Koanapo, who leads Vanuatu’s negotiating team on the Matthew and Hunter Islands dispute, revealed that the Government filed its first application against France at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 31 August 2026.

He said the two legal proceedings address different legal questions but form part of Vanuatu’s efforts to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights.

Vanuatu Files Case at International Court of Justice

Koanapo confirmed that Vanuatu’s first legal action was filed at the ICJ, seeking a determination on sovereignty over Matthew and Hunter Islands, as well as the establishment of a single maritime boundary between Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the ICJ has received Vanuatu’s application and transmitted it to France for a response.

However, France has not yet accepted the jurisdiction of the Court, meaning the proceedings cannot move forward unless France agrees to the Court’s jurisdiction.

Koanapo called on France to accept the ICJ’s jurisdiction, saying countries that support international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes should be prepared to have such matters determined by the world’s principal judicial court.

Second Legal Action Under UN Law of the Sea

With France yet to respond to the ICJ application, Vanuatu has taken a further legal step.

Koanapo told Parliament that on 23 October 2026, Vanuatu commenced a separate arbitration proceeding against France under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He stressed that the arbitration is separate from, and does not replace, the ICJ case.

While the ICJ application concerns sovereignty over Matthew and Hunter Islands and their associated maritime territory, the arbitration addresses separate legal questions under international law of the sea.

Vanuatu Says Legal Proceedings Will Not Affect Relations with France

Despite the two legal actions, Koanapo assured France that Vanuatu’s decision to pursue the matters through international legal channels is not intended to damage relations between the two countries.

He said Vanuatu remains committed to dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The Deputy Prime Minister also revealed that Vanuatu’s Attorney General recently met with France’s Head of Legal Affairs in New York, approximately two weeks before his parliamentary statement, to discuss the way forward on both the ICJ proceedings and the UNCLOS arbitration.

Koanapo maintained that Vanuatu’s friendship with France does not mean the country should remain silent on matters concerning its sovereignty.

The two proceedings represent separate legal efforts by the Vanuatu Government to advance its position on the long-running Matthew and Hunter Islands dispute.