Vanuatu History

Discovered in 1606 by the Portuguese Queiroz, the islands that form the archipelago were almost forgotten until 1768 when they were visited by the Frenchman LA de Bougainville. In 1774, according to best-medical-schools, J. Cook gave them the name of New Hebrides; but only at the beginning of the century. XIX the first missionaries arrived in the archipelago. In 1878, France and Great Britain undertook to respect the independence of the islands but France, accepting the pressure of a Caledonian Society of the New Hebrides, founded in 1882, included them two years later in the competence of the governor of New Caledonia. The actual occupation of two of the islands to quell unrest provoked the intervention of Great Britain. After long negotiations, the governments of London and Paris signed the convention of November 16, 1887, which marked the beginning of the so-called Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides.

But the agreement turned out to be fragile so France and Great Britain signed a new convention on October 20, 1914 which was later replaced by a protocol of the same year, ratified only in 1922. During the Second World War, the New Hebrides formed one of the most important Allied bases in the Pacific against Japan. After the war, the local political dialectic developed around the problem of the overwhelming influence that foreigners, Americans in particular, grabbed, with the purchase of land, on the islands. In 1971, Nagriamel, one of the first local parties, presented a petition to the United Nations on the matter to put an end to this practice. The following year the pro-British National Party (later Vanuaaku Pati; VAP) was born, which was opposed two years after the Union of Communities of the New Hebrides, a pro-French formation. The 1975 elections marked the victory of the VAP, confirmed by the 1979 elections. W. Lini, leader of the VAP, was elected prime minister. In June 1980, while the last agreements were made with France and Great Britain for the independence of the country (proclaimed on 30 July 1980), J. Stevens, leader of the Nagriamel party, led an attempt to secede the island of Espiritu Santo, operated by American economic interests. The rebellion was put down in September of the same year. The following year the new Republic of Vanuatu joined the United Nations. During the 1980s, tensions within the VAP led to the detachment of its co-founder, Barak Sope, who founded the Melanesian Progressive Party (1988). In the same year Sope was illegally commissioned by the head of state, George Ati Sokomanu (at the helm of the country since 1980, confirmed in 1983 and 1987), to form a government ad interim. Within days, Lini regained control of the situation by neutralizing Sope, Sokomanu (both sentenced to severe prison terms) and their main allies, with the legal support of the Supreme Court of Vanuatu as well as the political support of the governments of Australia and the New Zealand. In January 1989, Fred Timakata was appointed President of the Republic.

A great political ferment therefore marked the early nineties with proposals for constitutional amendments and the creation of a new party (United National Party; NUP) under the leadership of Lini. In September 1991, following a vote of no confidence in Parliament, Lini was replaced by Donald Kalpokas to whom a few days later the VAP congress assigned the presidency of the party. The subsequent political elections (December 1991) saw the affirmation of the Union of moderate parties (UPM), supported by the French-speaking population whose leader, Maxime Carlot, assumed the leadership of the government. In March 1994 Jean-Marie Leyé was elected President of the Republic. In September 1996, however, Carlot was overwhelmed by a financial scandal and was forced to relinquish the office to Serge Vohor, also of the UPM, who was forming a new coalition government. In March 1999, John Bani was elected president, while Barak Sope was placed at the head of a grand coalition government, then replaced in April 2001 by Edward Natapei. In March 1994 Jean-Marie Leyé was elected President of the Republic. In September 1996, however, Carlot was overwhelmed by a financial scandal and was forced to relinquish the office to Serge Vohor, also of the UPM, who was forming a new coalition government. In March 1999, John Bani was elected president, while Barak Sope was placed at the head of a grand coalition government, then replaced in April 2001 by Edward Natapei. In March 1994 Jean-Marie Leyé was elected President of the Republic. In September 1996, however, Carlot was overwhelmed by a financial scandal and was forced to relinquish the office to Serge Vohor, also of the UPM, who was forming a new coalition government. In March 1999, John Bani was elected president, while Barak Sope was placed at the head of a grand coalition government, then replaced in April 2001 by Edward Natapei.

Vanuatu History