Pacific Island countries are being urged to take a united approach to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
A UNDP inclusive growth and sustainable development expert said this is crucial for accessing Overseas Development Assistance.
Asif Chida said Pacific countries worked in isolation in trying to achieve the previous UN Millenium Development Goals and began seeking funding too late in the piece.
Dr Chida said for the SDG's a different approach is being proposed with more emphasis on domestic and private sector financing with overseas assistance to be sought once gaps in funding are identified.
"We were working in silos earlier but now we are working in partnership especially working on south south cooperation and financing for development. So we want to have an exclusive Pacific agenda within these goals. What we are doing is taking the global agenda to the Pacific while bringing the Pacific agenda up to the global level."
