The political situation in Fiji and issues threatening regional security will be discussed at this year's Pacific Islands Forum meeting.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will be among the leaders meeting in Vanuatu this week.
They will consider progress made under the Pacific Plan, launched in 2005 to improve regional security, governance and economic growth.
The leaders will receive the latest report from the Ministerial Contact Group on Fiji, which, Mr Key says, has a general tone of reaffirming the stance taken by the forum in pushing for elections in Fiji.
He says excluding Fiji from the group forum has happened in sorrow, not in anger.
"To help the people of Fiji, their re-admittance is important, but it can only happen when we see demonstrated evidence that we're on a pathway to democracy."
Issues that threaten regional security including drug smuggling, people trafficking, money laundering and commercial fraud are also on the agenda.
Mr Key acknowledges there is still a problem with security in some parts of the Pacific, which is one of the reasons New Zealand and Australia try to play a leadership role and lend expertise and support.
Australia and Solomons Islands won't be represented at Prime Ministerial level due to imminent elections in their nations.
Mr Key says, however, that Australia's proposal to establish a regional centre for asylum seekers may well come up in his talks with the country's representative at the meeting, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
