The head of the International Labour Organisation's Pacific arm says a small-business programme piloted in Fiji is helping ease some of the region's labour problems.
A three-day meeting about Pacific labour issues is underway in Fiji, involving participants from nine countries.
Dr Abu Mohammed Zackaria says the ILO's start-up programmes are helping Pacific people gain the skills to set up their own businesses in their home islands.
"We trained people in the repairing of the buses they have running in Kiribati. We also trained people in poultry farming, in honey making. So these sort of occupations we try to develop for them. And at the end, once they grow, we bring them back for upgrading of their skills."
Dr Zackaria says the meeting will be a chance for different countries to discuss problems and share ideas on how to create employment in the region.
He says high unemployment remains a major challenge for many Pacific countries.
The conference in Nadi includes about 40 participants from Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
