Emmanuel Macron will travel to Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon from Saturday to Monday , where he is scheduled to host Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday. The visit aims to highlight the close ties between France, Canada, and Europe in this French territory located on the doorstep of North America, at a time when Donald Trump is making numerous statements about Canada, Greenland, and neighboring territories.
The French president also intends to reaffirm France's presence in this strategic region, near the Arctic. The new maritime routes opened up by climate change are attracting the interest of several powers, while Paris seeks to strengthen its cooperation with Ottawa and develop its strategic autonomy. Mark Carney will arrive after a trip to Strasbourg focused on strengthening ties between Canada and the European Union.
An archipelago facing numerous challenges
This visit should also allow Emmanuel Macron to address the concerns of the approximately 5.800 inhabitants of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The archipelago is facing economic difficulties linked in particular to the decline in cod fishing, its distance from mainland France, the cost of living, and aging infrastructure. The president is expected to announce measures concerning, among other things, the renovation of the port of Saint-Pierre and the replacement of the patrol boat Fulmar.
The government also aims to give the territory a new economic trajectory over the next ten to fifteen years. Projects in the digital, maritime, and aviation sectors are to be discussed, with the ambition of making the archipelago a base for polar cooperation with Canada and Greenland . Emmanuel Macron will also visit Miquelon, where the relocation of the village due to risks related to erosion and climate change is causing concern among some residents.
