The inaugural 2026 meeting of the Regional Steering Committee (CRP) for the WACA ResIP projects convened on Wednesday, July 8th, in Plateau. The gathering saw the participation of representatives from member states, regional institutions, and technical and financial partners dedicated to the sustainable management of the West African coastline.
Opening the session, Bérangère Prince, Senior Natural Resources Specialist at the World Bank, underscored the institution’s consistent support for the WACA program since 2018, alongside various technical and financial collaborators.
“We are fortunate because this program truly brings together many partners, fostering a strong sense of regional solidarity,” she remarked. Prince specifically acknowledged contributions from the French Development Agency, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and several regional organizations.
She highlighted that coastal areas are pivotal, generating “over 50% of the region’s GDP,” and thus necessitate integrated management strategies to effectively address the escalating impacts of climate change.
Presenting the outcomes of the program’s initial phase, Bérangère Prince reported significant achievements: “500,000 individuals are now more resilient to climate change impacts,” between “300,000 to 400,000 jobs” have been either created or strengthened, and “more than 32,000 hectares of coastal ecosystems” have been successfully restored.
She also announced the continuation of the initiative through WACA+, with upcoming phases set to include Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Cameroun, Togo, and Guinée-Bissau.
Officially inaugurating the proceedings on behalf of the Minister of Environment, his representative, Kouadio Parfait, commended the presence of beneficiary country delegations and the unwavering commitment of technical and financial partners in combating the effects of climate change on coastal zones.
“West African nations share a common heritage: a coastline rich in biodiversity, economic resources, and development opportunities. Regrettably, this invaluable coastline also faces escalating threats, notably coastal erosion, flooding, marine submersion, and ecosystem degradation, all exacerbated by climate change,” Parfait asserted.
He emphasized that the WACA program stands as “an exemplary framework for cooperation,” enabling states to pool their experiences and forge collective responses to shared environmental challenges.
The ministerial representative indicated that this Regional Steering Committee meeting aimed to assess progress, finalize preparations for WACA ResIP’s conclusion, accelerate the implementation of WACA ResIP 2, and enhance regional coordination efforts.
Reflecting on the project’s successes in Côte d’Ivoire, he pointed out that infrastructure developments in Grand-Lahou have stabilized nearly seven kilometers of coastline, facilitated mangrove restoration, and improved living conditions for over 150,000 beneficiaries. “We can confidently state that the issue of coastal erosion has been resolved in Lahou-Kpanda, the project’s intervention area,” he declared.
This initial 2026 meeting of the WACA ResIP projects Regional Steering Committee brought together representatives from beneficiary countries, UEMOA, the World Bank, ECOWAS, ECCAS, and regional implementing institutions, all united in their commitment to strengthening cooperation for the sustainable and resilient management of the West African coastline.
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