From the late 19th century, Britain and French had been wrestling for control of the New Hebrides, a group of about 80 islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
In 1906, they agreed to share control through a unique Anglo-French Condominium.
With the movement for independence gaining momentum in the 1960s, Father Walter Lini established the New Hebrides National Party (now the Vanua’aku Pati) in 1974.
The date for full independence of Vanuatu was agreed in 1979 when the drafting of a constitution got underway. The Constitutional Committee consisted of representatives of different political parties, religious leaders and local tribal chiefs.
The Constitution was signed on October 5th 1979. It came into force on July 30th 1980, when the New Hebrides gained independence as the Republic of Vanuatu