The Secretariat of the Pacific Community says having observer status at the United Nations will help put more focus on critical issues like climate change and the impact of non communicable diseases.
The SPC was formally granted observer status last week at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The director-general of the SPC, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, says it is a significant breakthrough for the Pacific Community.
He says the small islands in the Pacific are the recipients of poor decisions made elsewhere and the SPC sees this UN involvement as a way it can have more impact through its technical and scientific work.
"Just working within the region is insufficient. We want to be able to project, communicate, the concerns of the Pacific effectively at the international level."
The director-general of the SPC, Dr Colin Tukuitonga.
