The mayor’s office stated that his goal was to work on three issues: Nuit Blanche, a cultural event that will be dedicated to the overseas territories in 2024; the climate emergency, with Anne Hidalgo inviting the mayors of New Caledonia and Polynesia to join her delegation as president of the International Association of French-speaking Mayors (AIMF) during COP 28 in Dubai; and the Olympic Games, specifically the surfing competition that will take place in Teahupoo, Tahiti.
However, Anne Hidalgo did not personally visit the Olympic site, instead sending Pierre Rabadan as her representative, the mayor’s office acknowledged on Monday. According to the statement, “At the request of the President of French Polynesia (Moetai Brotherson), the Mayor of Paris did not go to the site on Saturday due to local tensions related to the construction of a judges’ tower. A site visit was scheduled for the same day by the Polynesian presidency.”
