In February 2026, Guinea-Bissau’s Competent Environmental Assessment Authority, a WACA Project implementation partner in the country, organized a media awareness and capacity-building workshop on environmental and social assessment.

The initiative brought together 40 media professionals, including 23 women, with the aim of strengthening their knowledge and engagement in reporting and disseminating information on environmental and social issues, thereby promoting more responsible journalism.

At the opening ceremony, Minister António Idrissa Embaló highlighted the strategic role of the Competent Environmental Assessment Authority in ensuring that investment projects are implemented in a responsible, balanced and sustainable manner. He also emphasized that the media are key partners of the State in building a better-informed and more participatory society.

“A well-prepared environmental journalist is able to translate technical language into more accessible information, critically monitor project implementation and give a voice to affected communities,” he said.

During the two-day training, participants deepened their knowledge of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework, Guinea-Bissau’s legal and institutional framework for environmental and social assessment, and the challenges of environmental communication. Particular attention was given to biodiversity management, coastal zone protection and plastic pollution.

Three civil society organizations specializing in environmental communication also took part in the workshop, further strengthening the participatory approach promoted by the WACA Program.

The training reflects the WACA Project’s commitment to strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders. It also underscores that coastal protection depends on the informed and active participation of communities, with journalists playing a key role in this process.