Pacific Magazine > 2007 Pacific Almanac
Wallis and Futuna
The Basics
Population: 15,260 (2006 SPC)
Capital: Mata-Utu
Land Area: 274 sq. km.
Political Status and Form of Government: Overseas territory of France
Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)
Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Number of Islands: 3 plus 20 islets
The Numbers
Gross Domestic Product: Purchasing power parity - US$60 million (2004 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $3,800 (2004 est.)
Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate:
National Budget: US$28 million (2006)
Aid per capita: Assistance from France
Life Expectancy: Male: Female:
Ethnicity: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders.
Nationality: Wallisian, Futunan (French Nationals)
Age Distribution:0-14 years: NA, 15-64 years: NA, 65+: NA
Population Growth Rate: NA
People in Power
Head of Government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione Kanimoa
Head of State: French President Nicolas Sarkozy represented by High Administrator Richard Didier
Cabinet Members: The Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly. Albert Likuvalu, Deputy Representing Wallis and Futuna in the French National Assembly; Tone Sagati, Tuiagaifo (King of Alo, Futuna Island); Pasilio Le Keletaona, Le Kele Taona (King of Sigave, Futuna Island), Speaker Pesamino Taputai.
Representative Body: Unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Regional Organizations
FZ, SPC, SPREP, UPU
Media & Internet Service Providers
RFO broadcasts AM and FM stations, One ISP (2000), 2 TV stations. Weekly newspaper, Te Fenua Foou
Recent News
The King of Wallis, Tomasi Kulimoetoke died in May 2007 after a protracted illness, throwing Wallis into a six month mourning period. He had served as Lavelua, or king, since 1959. Two years after taking the throne, he signed a pact with the French government that made those islands a French Overseas Territory, a status that remains today.
During the Lavelua’s funeral service, Wallis and Futuna's Bishop Monsignor Ghislain de Rasilly, in what Oceania Flash called “a thinly-veiled appeal for calm” said the Lavelua's succession would be "a difficult one."
"The King and his ministers are God's servants … Wallis will have to give itself new King whose duty it will be to guide his country into the future,” he stressed.
At press time, no successor had been chosen and tensions between rival clans continued to simmer, including attempts from a group of self-proclaimed "pro-reform" royals to change the status-quo.
There is ongoing tension too with Futuna, which considers itself the more neglected part of the territory. It was exacerbated when a ban imposed by the traditional chiefs of Wallis during the mourning period reportedly caused food shortages and tensions on Futuna, after container ships were turned away.
Meanwhile one of the two Kings of Futuna Island, the Tuigaifo, from the kingdom of Alo, was treated several times in New Caledonia for illness in 2007, raising ongoing concerns about his health.
The year saw the King of Tonga, H.M. Siosi Tupou visit Wallis and Futuna on a private visit. The royal visit was the first in years and was reportedly in line with King Siosi’s wish to strengthen ties with Wallis, which is culturally close to Tonga.
Another important visitor was the French government's overseas State Secretary, Christian Estrosi, who spent three days in Wallis and Futuna in October. On Futuna, Estrosi visited French-funded projects, and laid a foundation stone for the airport upgrading project at Vele. He also discussed Wallis and Futuna's hosting of the 2013 Pacific Mini-Games.
The airport upgrading project is part of the US$50 million French assistance package for 2007-2001 agreed upon last year. The new package focuses on long overdue infrastructure projects, particularly on Futuna. Education and health remains another priority, with a US$8.5 million package to restructure the whole health and hospital system.
The people of Wallis and Futuna also went to the polls in 2007 with 74 percent of the registered voters turning out to vote for the territorial legislative assembly’s 20 new members.
In perhaps the greatest shock, incumbent MP Victor Brial, who had held the seat as Deputy representing Wallis and Futuna in the French National Assembly for the past 10 year, was voted out of office. He received just 48.2 percent of the votes losing to Socialist-backed candidate Albert Likuvalu, who obtained 51.8 percent of the polls.
Wallis and Futuna's newly-elected territorial assembly also elected a new Speaker, Pesamino Taputai as a result of an eleventh-hour alliance formed between former ruling party UMP and a group of centre-right MPs affiliated to French UDF party. In his maiden speech, Taputai called on all Wallis and Futuna leaders to address ongoing problems and feuds that have marred relations between the two islands since grave civil unrest erupted briefly in September 2005.
The new House retains the same number of women, only two of the 20 elected members, and includes three new members.
Airlines, Shippers Serving Countrys
Air: Aircalin. Shipping: Compagnie Moana de Navigation.
Main Government Contact
Delegation du Territoire des iles Wallis et Futuna
27 rue Oudinot, 75358 PARIS 07 SP
Ph: 01 53 69 22 74
Fax: 01 53 69 27 00
Sources and Wallis and Futuna on the Web
Delegation du Territoire des iles Wallis et Futuna
www.uvea-mo-futuna.com
Wallis and Futuna Statistics
www.wallis.co.nc/stats/
CIA World factbook
www.cia.gov/
RFO
www.rfo.fr
Map courtesy UH Press, The Pacific Islands; an Encyclopedia
Click map for larger image
