French State Secretary for Overseas Yves Jégo, speaking at a French-EU seminar on the role of overseas countries and territories last month in Paris, stressed the importance of the French contribution to Europe’s overseas presence.
“Europe is a chance for overseas countries and territories, but those OCTs are also a chance for Europe, because thanks to them, Europe has become the first world maritime power,” Jégo told reporters.
Also last month, on the occasion of a debate on a new type of relations between the European Commission and the Overseas Countries and Territories, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel said OCTs were “a real asset for Europe.”
During the past 10 years, the French Pacific has increasingly been described as the European Pacific, mainly due to the French, a founding member of the EU, presence in the Pacific region.
