# Vanuatu urges France to accept ICJ jurisdiction in Pacific islands dispute

https://mins.news/en/item/40834

- Al Jazeera, 2026-09-01 18:21 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/vanuatu-pushes-france-to-accept-icj-jurisdiction-in-pacific-islands-dispute?traffic_source=rss

> Vanuatu has asked the International Court of Justice to rule on sovereignty over Matthew and Hunter islands, which are controlled by France. The case cannot proceed unless France consents to the court’s jurisdiction. Vanuatu calls French control a colonial relic, while France’s far right is using the dispute as a political weapon.