The Pacific Islands Forum has paid tribute to Mahe Tupouniua, who was the first director of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation - the forerunner of the Forum.
Mr Tupouniua who passed away at his Auckland home last weekend, was the director of SPEC from 1972 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1986.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Greg Urwin, says Mr Tupounuia was critically instrumental in shaping the regional cooperation structures that are still being developed in the Pacific.
He says he was greatly respected and will be sorely missed.
