In 1984, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Somalia approached the Executive Director of UNEP with a request for assistance in assessing the coastal and marine environmental problems of the country in drawing up a national action plan for the protection, management and development of its marine and coastal environment. This document consists of a summary report on the coastal and marine environmental problems of Somalia, of an Action Plan proposed for the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of Somalia and seven sectoral reports on which on which the summary report is based.