Defence Relations

Defence cooperation is an important element of the bilateral relationship between France and New Zealand. The cooperation, at its highest level in years, is primarily centred on the South Pacific, but has also occurred in other theatres, such as during peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Somalia, East Timor and Afghanistan.

Cooperation between the New Zealand Defence Force and the New Caledonian Armed Forces (FANC) is the backbone of the defence relationship between the two countries. A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 1997, followed by a Cooperation Agreement signed during General Lafourcade’s (then Chief of FANC) visit to New Zealand in June 1999. These instruments have facilitated a series of joint defence exercises in the Pacific, both single service and combined, between the two forces.