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IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)

Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society

Advancing Marine Spatial Planning in the East Asian Seas through Regional Capacity Development

More than 40 regional practitioners strengthened their practical MSP capacity through technical exchange, interactive exercises and collaborative learning in Bangkok.

From 20 to 22 July 2026, more than 40 resource managers, researchers, and representatives of government agencies, research institutions, and relevant regional organizations gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, for the Regional Training Workshop on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) for the East Asian Seas.
The training workshop was designed together with the GEF IW:LEARN and MSPglobal project as part of collaborative efforts to promote knowledge exchange among International Waters (IW) projects and support the implementation of the Regional Action Framework for Marine Spatial Planning (2025-2030). It was organized in collaboration with national agencies and their technical support institutions, as well as regional partners, including the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand Strategic Action Programme (SCS-SAP) Project and the UNEP Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA).
The three-day programme featured technical presentations, updates on national MSP development, and interactive group and plenary discussions. Through the MSP Challenge Game exercises in particular, participants strengthened their understanding of MSP concepts and processes while enhancing their capacity to apply practical approaches to MSP implementation.
Participants conduct simulation exercises on transboundary marine zoning and multi-sector coordination through the MSP Challenge Board Game.
Participants brainstorm Peninsula MSP strategy using sticky note analysis to outline planning objectives, sustainability dimensions, stakeholders and indicators.
By the end of the workshop, participants had gained greater awareness of existing national and regional MSP mechanisms and their linkages with global frameworks, as well as enhanced capacity to integrate MSP and the sustainable blue economy into the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis/Strategic Action Programme (TDA/SAP) process. More importantly, they reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the Regional Action Framework across its four key areas of action: cooperation and collaboration; knowledge support; capacity development; and demonstration and good practices.
This event once again demonstrated the substantive partnerships that the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) has fostered to accelerate MSP in the region. Working in synergy with IW:LEARN, and MSPglobal, WESTPAC provided substantive technical and administrative support throughout the workshop. Building on its outcomes, WESTPAC will continue to advance MSP as a key process for boosting a sustainable blue economy and fulfilling both national and international ocean-related commitments.

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