On Tuesday October 24, 2023, the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the West African Coastal Area Resilience Investment Project (WACA-Resip) met for the first time in 2023. The meeting brought together some sixty officials from ministries and administrative bodies involved in erosion and flood control.

From the outset, under the chairmanship of the Ministry of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, the Director of Cabinet, Mr. Kodihi Gnahoré, highlighted the project's notable achievements. The members of the National Steering Committee (CNP) and the Technical Committee were warmly thanked for their ongoing commitment to finding solutions to the challenges of coastal erosion in Côte d'Ivoire.

The WACA Coordinator, Mr. Kassi Jean Baptiste, then took the floor to elaborate on the concrete actions carried out over the course of 2023. Notable successes include the creation of six thousand nurseries by mangrove and community forest committees in villages benefiting from the project. In addition, 13 hectares of mangroves have been reforested in partnership with OIPR, and five community forests have been established, including two hectares in Lipkiliasié and three hectares in Groguida. Community meetings within the framework of the MGP, the most recent taking place from September 20 to 27, 2023, were also praised.

As far as Income Generating Activities (IGA) are concerned, the project has selected and trained 1,219 beneficiaries, including 702 women representing 57% and 517 men representing 43%. These achievements, achieved despite certain difficulties, were a source of satisfaction to the members of the NPC. They encouraged the coordinator and his team to persevere in their efforts, stressing the importance of maintaining this positive momentum to fully achieve the project's ambitious objectives. The meeting concluded with a family photo, symbolizing the unity and collective determination to ensure the success of the WACA-Resip project in Côte d'Ivoire.

Author : Marie Nicaise Niamké, UGP WACA Cote d'Ivoire