France, June 18 -- The French government has signaled a fresh willingness to tackle long-standing demands for greater local control in French Guiana, while also addressing economic pressures across overseas territories.

French Guiana's long-held dream of greater self-governance may finally be gathering momentum, as Overseas Minister Manuel Valls promised on Monday to open negotiations on autonomy in the coming weeks - a move that local leaders hope will bring laws better tailored to their region's unique challenges and opportunities.

Speaking in Cayenne at the headquarters of the French Guiana Territorial Collective (CTG), Valls announced that he would host a delegation of elected officials in early July to lay the groundwork for meanin...