This commitment will establish a coordination mechanism for oceans and marine work known as the Samoa Ocean Health Network, bringing together stakeholders in Government, NGOs, IGOs, Private Sector and the community to share information and advance Samoa's work on ocean conservation and the sustainable management of ocean resources.

The Ocean is a trans-boundary and dynamic resource which affects nearly every aspect of the development agenda in the Pacific. This cross-cutting nature means that there is a large and varied collection of stakeholders from various sectors and levels of ocean development with an interest in how we manage our ocean. Called for by Leaders under the Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape, the Pacific Ocean Alliance (POA) was established by Charter in 2014 to bring about strengthened coordination and collaboration across and between the aforementioned stakeholders on cross sectoral ocean issues. The POA is facilitated by the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, and was launched at the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Samoa in September 2014. It is an open-ended and voluntary information-sharing and coordination partnership between stakeholders with a genuine interest in the sustainable development, management and conservation of the Pacific Ocean and its resources.

In line with the POA, the Samoa Alliance of Sustainable Ocean Management Initiatives (SAMI) will provide a platform for national stakeholders in Samoa to through a combination of face-to-face meetings a space and common ground to bring together partners such as national government agencies, private sector, academia and research organisations, civil society organisations and communities, who are not currently represented in a coordinated way on ocean issues and regional organizations. SAMI not a decision-making partnership, however, recommendations may stem from partnership discussions that relevant partners may choose to progress and/or implement.

The SAMI provides, amongst other things; a mechanism for inclusive consultation in the development and implementation of policy and programs, provision of technical advice as it relates to the sustainable development, management and conservation of the Ocean. It will be guided by the needs of stakeholders.

POA will continue to facilitate discussions on this issue as the United Nations negotiations on a new implementing agreement on Biodiversity in areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) progress.