The 4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands has charted very specific and tangiable next steps in each of the 12 Working Group areas in advancing ecosystem management by 2010 and examining the current trends in integrated coastal and ocean management. These will be relayed to the relevant agencies of the United Nations, will be presented at the UN Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, and will be broadly disseminated to governments, civil society, and industry and scientific groups throughout the world. The specific recommendations will be considered by high-level ocean political leaders on May 11-15, 2009 at the World Ocean Conference in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Biliana Cicin-Sain also discusses the importance of pursuing and encouraging capacity development in ocean leadership, especially at the highest levels of government around the world among people who understand the inter-relationship between oceans, coasts, small island states, climate and biodiversity, and who understand the linkages between them. These are people who are able to work and relate to the international, national and community levels and who have a broad vision about moving the oceans agenda forward.