Macron to visit Saint Pierre and Miquelon for talks with Canada's PM Carney

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Saint Pierre and Miquelon on Sunday, an overseas French territory located about 20 kilometers from Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador province. This marks the first presidential visit to the archipelago since December 2014, when then-President François Hollande traveled there. Macron will be joined by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

According to the French presidency, the trip's main goal is to highlight France's presence across five oceans, including the Arctic, where Saint Pierre and Miquelon plays a key role. The territory allows France to maintain a large exclusive economic zone and a military presence, currently provided by the naval patrol vessel Fulmar, which is due for replacement soon.

Sovereignty and regional cooperation

Discussions during the visit will also cover digital cable connections to mainland Europe and space-related projects expecting further investment. Paris aims to turn the archipelago into a base for polar cooperation together with Canada, Denmark and Greenland.

Macron is also expected to address everyday difficulties facing local residents. The archipelago's population is declining, and it continues to suffer economically following the collapse of its fishing industry after Canada imposed a moratorium on cod fishing. A 1992 court ruling further reduced France's exclusive economic zone in the area. The territory also faces rising sea levels — the village of Miquelon-Langlade is being relocated further inland, marking France's first such relocation project driven by climate change.

A potential energy partnership

Paris supports closer ties between Canada and Brussels, including the European Commission's proposal to grant Canada associate EU membership status. France hopes Canada could help secure European hydrocarbon supplies at a time when fuel prices are rising due to global conflicts and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Macron and Carney are set to continue their discussions next week at the UN General Assembly in New York.