The French president Emmanuel Macron says the French Pacific territories can be the pilot areas for France's way out of the confinement imposed over the Covid-19 outbreak.
French president Emmanuel Macron Photo: AFP
Mr Macron made the comment in a video conference with the overseas minister Annick Girardin and political leaders from New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna as well as French Polynesia where he was originally due last week to host the One Planet Summit.
He thanked the territory's leaders for their management of the crisis.
Mr Macron didn't give any details of how the measures taken overseas could be adapted to France where the lockdown is due to eased on 11 May.
In France almost 130000 people have tested positive for the virus and 24,000 of them died.
All three Pacific territories shut their borders and none of them suffered any Covid-19-related fatality, with Wallis and Futuna the only French-ruled territory worldwide to have been spared the virus.
New Caledonia, which recorded 18 coronavirus cases, relaxed its confinement rules last week and will lift most restrictions from Monday.
French Polynesia, where 58 people tested positive for the virus, lifted many restrictions today but will keep the nightly curfew for at least another two weeks.
