The GPA, which is based on the Washington Declaration (1995), addresses the protection of the marine environment from land-based sources of pollution. It is a global initiative, with headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands, and is being implemented on a regional level to take account of regional disparities, and as such is making use of the already established Regional Seas Programmes to provide geographic coverage of each region and to utilise the experience and expertise.

The overall objective of the implementation of the project in West Asia is to assist member states in enhancing the protection and sustainable development of their coastal and marine environment, by facilitating concrete action to address human impacts. One approach to this is the development of pilot projects for innovative municipal wastewater management. A number of potential sites have been identified in the region, and at present donors are being sought for the implementation of the pilot projects.

A Clearing House Mechanism has also been developed to disseminate the products of the GPA and to act as a forum for further development and capacity building in municipal wastewater management.