The new Director General of the Melanesia Spearhead Group Secretariat says he hopes to boost the MSG's credibility to make it attractive to potential partners in the international community.
Peter Forau took up his post at the MSG headquarters in Vanuatu last month, having worked with the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and as Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for five years.
Mr Forau says he aims to lift the profile of the MSG.
"The resourcing of the secretariat is apparently fragile. As a young organisation we are still building our resource base and I believe we need to demonstrate that we can be trusted, that people should have confidence in the way that we manage the resources entrusted on us and I think that will build the confidence of our membership as well as other donors."
Peter Forau says other challenges the MSG faces are economic growth and poverty alleviation.
He replaces Rima Ravusiro from Papua New Guinea, whose contract expired in July.
