Observers from the Pacific Island Forum have been invited to a summit on bird flu which Australia will host later this month.
Disaster management coordinators from 21 countries will meet in Brisbane to discuss preparations for a potential avian influenza pandemic in the region.
It will be the first time the experts, from every Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economy, have been brought together.
Health and quarantine experts from throughout the region also will attend the summit, as will representatives of the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The WHO regional meeting in New Caledonia last month also discussed the threat posed by bird flu.
