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The aim of this project is to map the entire seabed. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission - IOC - and the International Hydrographic Organization - IHO - are responsible for its implementation. On this occasion, the Executive Secretary of the IOC, Mr. Vladimir RYABININ, and the Director of the IHO, Mr. Luigi SINAPI, recalled the vital necessity of this mapping for the development of new knowledge, both fundamental and applied, particularly in the context of the Decade of Ocean Sciences (2021-2030) adopted by the UN.

H.E. Mrs. Anne-Marie BOISBOUVIER, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Monaco to UNESCO, recalled in her speech Prince Albert I's pioneering role in this undertaking. His commitment to the study of the ocean contributed to the understanding of submarine topography and the mapping of the seabed, laying the foundations for later work such as that of GEBCO. The Ambassador also outlined Monaco's international efforts to increase scientific data in the oceanic field. Welcoming the Nippon Foundation's funding of this global mapping project by 2030, the Ambassador underlined the hope represented by the 20% of the seabed now mapped, compared with just 6% in 2017.

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) has identified this global mapping project as its flagship program, under the title Seabed 2030. The aim is to reach 100% of mapped areas by 2030.

The Principality of Monaco was invited as "guest of honor" because of its many commitments, most notably the fact that it hosts the IHO on its territory, and that this organization was born out of the Hydrographic Office in 1921. The Princely Government contributes to the IOC by supporting its Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) tsunami warning program, as well as the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), of which the SeaBed 2030 program is a flagship project.