Macron, Carney to visit French islands after Trump’s map post

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will embark on a symbolic visit to Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon, a French overseas territory, next week. The visit aims to underscore the nations' shared values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.

The US President Donald Trump's post of a map featuring the US flag over several North American territories, including French overseas regions, has sparked the diplomatic response. Macron is scheduled to visit Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon from September 19-21, with Carney joining him on September 20. This will be the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the archipelago, located approximately 20 kilometers off Canada's Atlantic coast, and home to around 6,000 inhabitants.

The territory holds historical significance as the site of a World War II clash between French Free Forces and the collaborationist Vichy regime, as well as a recent climate-driven relocation effort.