France has announced a “historic” accord with New Caledonia in which the overseas territory, rocked by deadly separatist violence last year, would remain French but be declared a new state. “A State of New Caledonia within the Republic: it’s a bet on trust,” the French president, Emmanuel Macron, posted on X on Saturday, hailing a “historic” agreement. View image in fullscreen French politicians and New Caledonian officials and state representatives celebrate the agreement. As part of the agreement, New Caledonia residents will in future only be allowed to vote after having lived 10 years on the archipelago. Under the deal, a “State of New Caledonia” would be enshrined in France’s constitution, and other countries could recognise such a state.