Over June 16-18, 2025, the World Bank, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other partners, is holding a three-day Global Ocean Governance Workshop, which gathers legal experts, government officials and professionals from across the world to strengthen capacity for sustainable ocean governance.
The workshop is co-financed by the World Bank's Ocean Governance Capacity Building Program funded by PROBLUE, FAO's Deepsea Fisheries Project of the GEF-funded Common Oceans Programme and the Norway-funded EAF Nansen Programme. It is delivered in partnership with the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), FAO, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the Melbourne University Law School, the University of Nantes, and the World Bank.
The event brings together outstanding alumni of the Ocean Governance Capacity Building Program¡¯s regional online trainings, and selected professionals working on policy, legal and institutional frameworks that support the blue economy, including the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries and sustainable deep-sea fisheries.
The in-person workshop builds on the World Bank's Ocean Governance Capacity Building Program which offers advanced, practice-oriented training focused on implementing international ocean governance frameworks towards achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals. Participants will examine key legal issues related to ocean governance, including marine spatial planning, climate change and activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The workshop promotes peer-to-peer learning and offers dedicated breakout sessions, case study presentations, and knowledge exchanges. Legal experts from DOALOS, FAO, ISA, the Melbourne University Law School, the University of Nantes, and the World Bank are providing the training and facilitating the workshop.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and related instruments are at the heart of discussions, providing a legal foundation for examining countries¡¯ obligations and opportunities. Special attention will be given to the implementation of international law at the national level to support ocean governance and sustainable development.
The event also builds on key outcomes of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC III) and contributes to global efforts to enhance legal capacity in support of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).