New Zealand Foreign Minister

NGO groups have been pressuring leaders to get conditions for refugees in Nauru on the agenda.

But Peters says he hasn’t gone to Nauru to talk about that issue.

“What we're not going to do is hijack the whole purpose of a huge part of the world that is a blue conference, so to speak. It is critical that we get our agenda completed as well.”

Peters attended the forum’s official opening ceremony last night.

He’s expected to have his first bilateral meeting with his new Australian counterpart, Marise Payne today.

Giving New Zealand's statement at the summit for the new sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, McCully said they were particularly important for the Pacific region and New Zealand would play its part in trying to ensure those goals were met.

The goals will cover all countries rather than just the developing countries, and McCully said he welcomed goals in areas such as ocean fisheries, which were important for the economy of many Pacific islands. He called for a step up in surveillance for illegal fishing.