24 Nov 2005

Nauru aims to show donors at next week's roundtable that it is committed to reform

8:26 pm on 24 November 2005

Nauru is hoping for two key outcomes from a meeting with aid donors next week.

A roundtable has been organised on Nauru by the Pacific Islands Forum and will bring together representatives from around 20 donor countries and agencies.

The financially struggling island, which has only recently become a recipient of aid, has put together a Sustainable Development Plan to outline where it needs help.

A senior Samoa public servant, Iulai (pron YOU LIE) Lavea, who has been in Nauru working on behalf of the Forum, says the first aim of the roundtable is to show the donor community that Nauru is committed to change for the better.

"Now the second side of the objectives is that we hope with those priorities clearly articulated the donors can find the priority areas where they can assist. This is not a pledging exercise but we hope that after this meeting there will be bilateral discussions between Nauru and individual donors."