Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Pacific and Cuba meet to discuss co-operation

Posted at 04:10 on 17 September, 2008 UTC

Pacific leaders from ten countries have travelled to Cuba for a forum to discuss strengthening co-operation in health, sports and education.

Cuba is already providing doctors and medical training for a number of Pacific countries.

The Cuba News agency reports the forum will also discuss common challenges such as climate change, dealing with natural disasters and food and energy crisis.

Representatives from Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, Micronesia and Papua New Guinea are attending the first Cuba-Pacific Islands ministerial meeting that ends on Thursday.