Papua New Guinea is confident of securing the Pacific Island Forum's secretary general position for its candidate, Dame Meg Taylor.
Dame Meg currently works for the World Bank in the United States and is PNG's candidate for the top Forum job, which has been filled by Samoan Tuiloma Neroni-Slade for the past 6 years.
Papua New Guinea has been lobbying to have the chair for the last two months. The two other candidates are from the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
But because Fiji's membership at the Forum is still under suspension, consequently its candidature is deemed null and void, leaving only two candidates.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is meeting in PNG, and on Thursday, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill mentioned that the secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum will be vacant very soon.
He said MSG members believe further consultations between PNG and Solomon Islands should take place.
He told the Post Courier that once a decision is made, they will go to the Pacific Island Forum Meeting in August with a single-candidate from the MSG group.
