The message from the New Caledonia Business Lunch in Sydney, Australia, on 4 November was that there are plenty of opportunities for international service providers in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia.

A P&O cruise ship in Noumea harbour.

The event was arranged by ADECAL (New Caledonia’s investment promotion agency) and held at the Sydney offices of international law firm, Baker & McKenzie.

ADECAL’s Senior Investment Officer Alain Chung told attendees that New Caledonia was one of the world’s major nickel producers (it possesses around 25% of the world’s nickel resources), provides a first-world business environment and is a relatively short direct flights from Sydney, Brisbane and, since mid-2014, also Melbourne.

Austrade’s Adrian Weeks

Austrade’s Pacific Trade Commissioner Adrian Weeks pointed out that New Caledonia has a very high GDP per capita—on a par with Australia but a population of little over 250,000. As a result, the territory needs assistance when it comes to the provision of services, especially for major projects in mining or infrastructure.

Despite the impact of low commodity prices, the New Caledonia economy is still ticking over. Major projects are ongoing in construction and infrastructure, providing plenty of opportunities for international engineering firms.

New Caledonia is also currently experiencing such a boom in cruise ship arrivals that the Port of Noumea can barely meet demand. By 2016, cruise line Carnival Australia estimates there will be almost 400 port calls from cruise ships, up from just 227 visits in 2011.

Next week, New Caledonia will host the Third Melanesian Spearhead Trade Fair and Roadshow. The trade fair will be held on 19 and 20 November at the Chambre des Métiers et de l’artisanal, Noumea. New Caledonia is represented in the Melanesian Spearhead Group by the pro-Independence Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS).