COBSEA is guided by 5-year Strategic Directions to protect and sustainably develop the marine and coastal environment of the East Asian Seas region. New COBSEA Strategic Directions for 2023-2027 were developed in consultation with participating countries and adopted by silence procedure in December 2023. To address regional priorities within COBSEA’s mandate, in line with relevant international frameworks, Strategic Directions 2023-2027 are underpinned by three thematic programmes: (1) Marine pollution prevention, reduction and control; (2) Marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management; and (3) Climate action. To enable effective implementation, Strategic Directions include two cross-cutting components (knowledge management and capacity building), and supporting foundational and enabling components (governance, institutional structures and regional mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation, funding and resource mobilization, partnership development).