Samoa's deputy Prime Minister has called on the international community to do more to increase investment in small island states.
Countries are meeting in Qatar for the 13th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Fonotoe Nuafesili Lauofo told the meeting that trade is a tool for development to close the income and welfare divide between developed and developing economies.
"While some positive steps have been undertaken in advancing this mandate, more remains to be done if integrated countries are to fully benefit from enhanced engagement with other economies. Challenges related to the ability of small island distantly located states to implement measures to enable effective utilisation of integrating with global economies still persist."
Fonotoe Nuafesili Lauofo says the reality remains that the needs of vulnerable economies always outstrip the resources available to them.
