The Pacific Community (SPC) is this week marking its 70th anniversary.
SPC South Pacific conference no. 1 in Suva, Fiji (1950) Photo: SPC
Since 1947 the SPC has been the region's principal scientific and technical organisation.
Representatives from its 26 member countries and territories will meet at the SPC's headquarters in Noumea from Thursday for the biennial Conference of the Pacific Community, which will conclude with the official anniversary celebrations on Friday.
The theme for the conference is, "Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Development."
The SPC's Director General Colin Tukuitonga said the organisation was proud to be the leading provider of scientific and technical support to the Pacific and is looking forward to building on this.
Colin Tukuitonga Photo: SPC
"Looking to see what the emerging issues are for the region."
"Climate change obviously is a big one, NCDs (non-communicable diseases) particularly childhood obesity how can we have greater impact on those and looking at other areas that are perhaps not as well developed."
"So not planning to drift too faraway from our core purpose, but obviously looking to be more effective in what we do." he said.
The Conference of the Pacific Community is preceded by the meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations, which began today and will conclude on Wednesday 26 July.