In 2003, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board (CEB/2003/7) endorsed the creation of an Oceans and Coastal Areas Network (subsequently renamed UN-Oceans) to establish an effective, transparent and regular inter-agency coordination mechanism on ocean and coastal issues within the United Nations system.

UN-Oceans has been established to:

• Strengthen coordination and cooperation of United Nations activities related to oceans and coastal areas;

• Review the relevant programmes and activities of the United Nations system, undertaken as part of its contribution to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation;

• Identify emerging issues, define joint actions and establish specific task teams to deal with these, as appropriate;

• Promote the integrated management of oceans at the international level;

• Facilitate, as appropriate, the inputs to the annual report on oceans and the law of the sea of the Secretary-General; and

• Promote the coherence of United Nations system activities on oceans and coastal areas with the mandates of the General Assembly, and the priorities contained in the Millennium Development Goals, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and of governing bodies of all members of UN-Oceans.