The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, has gone to Samoa for talks with Samoan leaders ahead of next month's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in the Marshall Islands.
His office says he will also discuss possible New Zealand help to Samoa which next year will host the third Small Island Developing States conference.
Mr McCully will this week also travel to the Cook Islands to meet the Prime Minister, Henry Puna, who is the outgoing Forum chair.
He will also attend the swearing-in of the new Queen's Representative, Tom Marsters.
Next week, Mr MCully is scheduled to visit three Melanesian countries.
