The Regional Steering Committee (CRP) of the WACA Projects held its first meeting of the year from June 30 to July 4, 2025, in Bissau, Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

The session, organized by the WAEMU Commission in collaboration with national authorities, aimed to review and approve the progress reports for both the national and regional components of the WACA 1 and 2 projects for the first half of 2025. This event also represented a significant milestone in the capitalization process of WACA ResIP 1, facilitating the sharing of experiences and best practices among beneficiary countries.

Over two days of preparatory discussions, participants analyzed the implementation of decisions from previous CRP meetings, the status of activities as of May 31, 2025, as well as initiatives to support better the Committee overseeing the implementation of legal texts on sustainable coastal zone management. The World Bank also presented its orientations and outlook for the next phase of the program.

The CRP brings together the Chairs of the National Steering Committees, representatives from WAEMU, ECOWAS, and ECCAS Commissions, as well as technical partners such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE), the Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation (PRCM), and the West African Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas (RAMPAO). Coordinators from the Project Management Units (PMUs) also participated to report on results and ongoing challenges.

As a reminder, the Regional Steering Committee is the strategic decision-making body of the WACA ResIP program. It meets twice a year, on a rotating basis, to strengthen coherence, coordination, and the effectiveness of interventions in support of coastal resilience in West Africa.