A conference in Honolulu, timed to coincide with this week's annual APEC meeting, hopes to come up with alternatives to free trade for Pacific regional integration.
The Moana Nui conference is bringing together economists, subsistence specialists and other advocates for economic sovereignty.
The International Forum on Globalisation's head, Victor Menotti, says they seek new ways for Pacific Island countries to protect resources.
"There is a role for governments to cooperate, absolutely. And our presence here as social movements and people's organisations is to make sure that our governments cooperate on the right things. But the agenda that we see is the same old free trade agenda that we've been getting for over a decade now, that has brought the world to the brink of collapse."
Victor Menotti.
While Papua New Guinea is an APEC member, and the Pacific Islands Forum has observer status, most Pacific Island countries have no formal standing within the organisation.
