Key policy issues
While the political situation in French Polynesia has stabilized since 2011, and even more so since Édouard Fritch came to power in 2014, certain issues such as independence and recognition of the nuclear fact remain a priority in Fenua.
On December 12, 2018, an organic bill was tabled in the Senate to amend the autonomous status of French Polynesia, created in 2004. Among the main measures planned: confirmation of the French State's "recognition of the role played by French Polynesia in the development of its nuclear deterrence policy, and a reminder that their consequences must be taken into account in all areas"; the establishment, in terms of the State civil service, of a "concordance between the legislative and regulatory regime applicable in French Polynesia, and the State's field of competence" ; or the extension of the possibility for French Polynesia to "create independent administrative authorities in all areas under its jurisdiction" (and not just the economic sector) to carry out regulatory missions. So, while the debate about pure independence is no longer entirely on the agenda, the Polynesian government's efforts to make its status more flexible and gain greater autonomy remain constant.
As for the nuclear issue, François Hollande and Édouard Fritch did sign the "Elysée Agreement" in March 2017, a preamble to the future "Papeete Agreement", but it remains a dead letter today. Despite Emmanuel Macron's assurances that he would honor his predecessor's commitments, Polynesians are still waiting for an official signature.
In 2023, Moetai Brotherson won the elections with his pro-independence "Tavini huiraatira" party and became the new President of French Polynesia. During his meeting with Emmanuel Macron, he affirmed his position and determination for "a process of decolonization".
New economic impetus
After the economic crisis suffered from 2007 to 2013, and the return to political stability, the country has finally seen a recovery in consumption, investment and exports. According to the Institut de la Statistique de Polynésie française, since 2017, export revenues have climbed 4.2% thanks to the strong performance of pearls, fish products (+3% in value) and noni (+30% in value and volume). And this momentum has been confirmed in 2018. As for the opening of Polynesian skies in 2018, it came at just the right time to boost tourism. The arrival of international carriers French Bee and United Airlines considerably increased the number of seats available to Fenua (+40%, for a total of 5,000 to 6,000 weekly seats). As a result, tourist numbers climbed 6.6% in one year; with 450 million euros in annual spin-offs for the Polynesian economy in 2017, tourism is the country's leading economic sector.
However, the Covid crisis has disrupted tourism figures and, for example, the long-awaited Village Tahitien project, which aims to boost tourism on the island of Tahiti and eventually accommodate some 1,200 additional rooms, has scaled back its ambitions. Today, tourism is well and truly back on track, with an 11% increase in October 2022, higher than the same period in 2021. The number of tourists continues to rise.
Of course, this economic upswing was marked by the Olympic Games in 2024 with the surfing events in Teahupoo where several works had been occasioned for this sporting occasion.
Technical and social advances
The laying of the first submarine cable between Hawaii and Tahiti in 2010 had already enabled a clear advance in broadband in Tahiti; in 2018, the commissioning of the Natitua domestic cable marked a new leap forward for the digital opening-up of the archipelago. Ten islands in the Tuamotu and Marquesas now enjoy high-speed broadband, enabling them to welcome new job-creating businesses. This telecommunications development is also enabling the country to support its objectives in terms of health, education, administration, tourism and commercial development.
From a societal point of view, there have been major social movements in recent years concerning the reform of the generalized social protection system (PSG), and in particular pensions - French Polynesia has its own social security system - but social dialogue has generally been well conducted. The SMIG (minimum wage) has been raised in recent years, whereas it had not really increased since 2014. In January 2022, it stood at 155,973 XPF, in January 2023 at 169,153 XPF, an increase of over 8% in one year, and on May 1, 2024 at 173,181 XPF.
Environmental challenges
However, economic progress and the development of tourism in recent years are weakening ecosystems. The proliferation of tourism in Bora Bora and Tahiti has led to an alarming depopulation of the lagoons, fishermen are increasingly complaining about dwindling catches, and several scientists are sounding the alarm. However, lagoon development and management schemes, maritime space management plans and other environmental charters are not always followed..
Fortunately, if nature is still preserved almost everywhere, it's because efforts have been made to protect it. Bora Bora, for example, was recently equipped with a water treatment system, and all over the territory, every effort is made to prevent pollution from entering the lagoons. Artificial reef processes are also being considered to reseed the lagoon's fish with the help of divers... Meanwhile, the problem of ciguatera arises whenever land is filled in the lagoon. These toxic algae form when reefs are attacked, whether by cyclones or human activity. Here again, however, the authorities are aware that their environment is a real tourist attraction, and therefore an economic one, and they regularly submit projects to protect nature; several atolls have already been classified as nature reserves. There remains, however, the problem of waste management, which is increasing as the country develops..
The ecological issue is therefore taken seriously, and both the authorities and Polynesians are careful to adopt the right behaviors to safeguard their biodiversity. That said, the environment is everyone's business, and each individual can act alone: never overlook the hummingbird effect. In 2021, Polynesia has chosen to align itself with the 132 Pacific indicators for monitoring the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) at local level, in order to facilitate dialogue with its partners while helping to promote sustainable development.
At the 2022 One Ocean Summit in Brest, French Polynesia pledged to create a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) covering 500,000 km² in its EEZ, which includes the world's largest marine mammal sanctuary and resources of global importance. These areas aim to preserve biodiversity and sustainably manage maritime activities.
