Hollande to visit two island kingdoms

SIGAVE – The French president is now expected to visit both kingdoms on the French Pacific island of Futuna during the first ever presidential visit to the island scheduled for later this month.

The public broadcaster said this is being planned as a presidential advance party visited the territory to finalise the programme.

Originally, Francois Hollande was due to visit only Alo, but he is now due in Sigave as well after the Sigave chiefs objected to being left off the presidential itinerary.

Hollande will visit Wallis and Futuna as well as French Polynesia in line with a pledge to visit all overseas territories during his five-year term.

The only French president to ever visit Wallis and Futuna was Valery Giscard d’Estaing who in 1979 spent three hours on Wallis. - RNZI