In accordance with a Governing Body decision of decentralizing the International Labour Organisation Office, the ILO opened its Office for the South Pacific in Suva in 1975. The Office, has since, been working with its traditional partners or Constituents, namely Governments, workers and employers organizations.

The primary objective of the ILO Suva Office is to assist Governments', Employers' and Workers' Organisations of the Pacific Island Countries in their efforts to reduce Decent Work deficits (as part of a global goal) and to pursue development for dignity through the achievements of rights at work; employment; social protection and social dialogue.

The office serves 22 South Pacific Island countries. seven of these, Fiji , (joined in 1974) Papua New Guinea (joined in 1976), Solomon Islands (joined in 1984), Kiribati (joined in 2000), Vanuatu (joined in 2004) , Samoa (joined in 2005)and most recently Marshall Islands (joined July 2007) are full members of the ILO.

ILO’s Decent Work country programme(s) is based on national consensus to reduce decent work deficits with particular reference to its Member States namely; Fiji , Kiribati , Papua New Guinea , Samoa , Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Marshall Islands. The country programmes are commitments of ILO and its Constituents to contribute and achieve the following four global objectives:

• To promote and realize standards, and fundamental principles and rights at work
• To create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment
• To enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all
• To strengthen tripartism and social dialogue

Establishment of an ILO Office in the South Pacific
The ILO Office for the South Pacific ( Fiji , Kiribati , Papua New Guinea , Samoa , Solomon Islands , Vanuatu ) falls within the Department of the Asia Pacific Regional Office. The Department has three Sub-Regional Offices based in Manila , Bangkok , New Delhi and eight Area Offices in Afghanistan (Liaison Office), Beijing , Dhaka , Jakarta , Kathmandu , Islamabaad, Hanoi , Tokyo (Branch Office) and Suva .

The major function of the Sub-Regional Offices is to provide technical support while the primary responsibility to promote and manage Decent Work Country Programmes lies with Area Offices.

The Sub-Regional Office based in Manila , Philippines , for the South East Asia and Pacific Island countries is headed by Ms Linda Wirth. The ILO Office based in Suva , Fiji covers twenty-two Pacific Island countries, of which six are member States ( Fiji , Kiribati , Papua New Guinea , Samoa , Solomon Islands and Vanuatu ) and is currently headed by Mr A M Zakaria with a team of ten staff and seven Consultants and Project staff based in Suva , Fiji.