Top officials from 14 Pacific nations are in the Marshall Islands for the annual Forum Economic Ministers Meeting to discuss development objectives.
The ministers' meeting will be followed by talks with key donors, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union and countries such as Taiwan and Japan.
A Forum secretariat official says the discussions are part of the good governance process, and our correspondent in Majuro, Giff Johnson, says poverty problems will be raised.
"The donor countries and islands have becomed to recognised in the last several years, that poverty and the growing gap between the rich and poor has become a much more significant issue in many Pacific Islands than it ever was before."
Giff Johnson
