UN-Oceans is an inter-agency mechanism that seeks to enhance the coordination, coherence and effectiveness of competent organizations of the United Nations system and the International Seabed Authority in relation to activities relating to oceans and coastal areas, within existing resources, in conformity with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the respective competences of each of its participating organizations and the mandates and priorities approved by their respective governing bodies.

UN-Oceans was established by the United Nations High-Level Committee on Programmes in 2003 in the follow-up to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. Its creation responded to the call addressed to the Secretary-General to establish an effective, transparent and regular inter-agency coordination mechanism on ocean and coastal issues within the United Nations system.

UN-Oceans held its first meeting in Paris in January 2005. In 2013, the General Assembly recognized the work undertaken so far and approved revised terms of reference for the work of UN-Oceans.

UN-Oceans is mandated to:

• Strengthen and promote coordination and coherence of United Nations system activities related to ocean and coastal areas;

• Regularly share ongoing and planned activities of participating organizations within the framework of relevant United Nations and other mandates with a view to identifying possible areas for collaboration and synergy;

• Facilitate, as appropriate, inputs by its participating organizations to the annual reports of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea and on sustainable fisheries to be submitted to the Secretariat;

• Facilitate inter-agency information exchange, including sharing of experiences, best practices, tools and methodologies and lessons learned in ocean-related matters.

Revised Terms of Reference (resolution 68/70, Annex)