News
WACA Convenes First National Assembly Forum to Discuss Project Objectives and Activities
The WACA Project convened a joint forum of the National Assembly Select Committee on Environment, Sustainable Development and NGO Affairs, and the Select Committee on Monitoring the Implementation of Government Projects. The meeting, held on February 25, 2025, was intended to brief the committees on the WACA Project’s objectives, initiatives, challenges, and expected impact.
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Over 220 Hectares of Mangroves Restored in Guinea-Bissau Thanks to WACA
To mark the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on July 26, the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP), through the WACA project, is launching a new national mangrove restoration campaign. In 2024 alone, the initiative has already restored 224.3 hectares in the Cacheu River Mangrove Natural Park, supported by project funding.
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WACA Raises Awareness on Coastal Degradation at the Largest Cultural Festival in the Bijagos Archipelago
As part of its mission to raise awareness about coastal degradation, the WACA Guinea-Bissau project launched a large-scale communications campaign during the Bubaque festivals (Escadinha and Bruce) — the largest cultural events in the Bijagos Archipelago — reaching over 9,000 participants from across the country and the Guinean diaspora.
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The Gambia Strengthens Capacity for Nature-Based Solutions to Urban and Coastal Challenges
From May 26 to 30, 2025, a national training workshop was held in Bakau under the WACA program to enhance the capacity of Gambian stakeholders to apply nature-based solutions (NbS) for urban and coastal resilience. The Project Management Unit in The Gambia organized the event with technical support from IUCN, the NL2120 consortium, and the World Bank. Nearly 50 participants attended, representing government agencies, academic institutions, local authorities, and civil society organizations.
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Government publishes First Draft of Gambia’s Groundbreaking national land policy
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs has released the first draft of the much-anticipated Gambia’s first-ever National Land Policy, funded by the WACA Project. The policy was published on the Ministry’s website in March for public comments.
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Major Project Milestone: WACA launches feasibility studies and design of the Kotu stream
The WACA Project has launched feasibility studies and detailed engineering design for the Kotu Stream, marking a major milestone in the project’s efforts to restore and reprofile the Stream. Following an extensive and rigorous recruitment process, a joint venture of three firms – including one local – led by HydroNova was selected in February 2025 to conduct the studies within 12 months.
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Togo Validates Environmental Audit of Agbodrafo–Sanvee Condji Coastline
On May 15, 2025, Togo’s Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources validated the environmental and social audit report for coastal protection works along the Agbodrafo–Sanvee Condji segment. The validation followed a site visit by an ad hoc committee, which reviewed infrastructure progress and assessed compliance with the project’s environmental and social commitments.
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WACA ResIP Supports Market Gardeners and Fish Vendors in Gbodjomé–Sanvie Kondji
On May 14, 2025, in Agbodrafo, the WACA ResIP program officially handed over essential work equipment to 30 fish vendor groups and 40 market gardener groups from the Lacs 1 and 3 municipalities. The initiative is part of a social sub-project aimed at strengthening the resilience of local communities along the Gbodjomé–Sanvie Kondji coastline, where coastal erosion has disrupted key economic activities.
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Towards sustainable management of the Baie de l’Étoile nature reserve
On April 10-11, 2025, a stakeholder consultation workshop took place in Nouadhibou to establish a coordinated management approach for the Baie de l’Étoile Nature Reserve. Organized by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, with support from the WACA project, this event represented an important step forward in the preservation of this vital coastal ecosystem.
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In Grand-Lahou, fishermen return to sea with support from the WACA project
Fishermen in Grand-Lahou, Côte d’Ivoire, are back at sea thanks to new motorized canoes provided through the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Program. On April 3, 2025, the project handed over four artisanal boats to three local fishing cooperatives as part of efforts to restore livelihoods disrupted by coastal stabilization works.
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São Tomé hosts a knowledge exchange mission on environmental and social safeguards under the WACA program
From May 5–10, 2025, São Tomé and Príncipe hosted a regional knowledge exchange on environmental and social safeguards under the WACA Program. The mission brought together safeguard, social development, and gender specialists from The Gambia, Ghana, and Guinea-Bissau—countries newly integrated into the ResIP 2 phase.
Organized by IUCN through the WACA Regional Support Office (WACA-BAR), the visit aimed to strengthen the capacities of new project teams by building on São Tomé’s experience implementing safeguard measures under ResIP 1.
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WACA-Togo supports Its partner radios to strengthen community-based communication
As part of efforts to enhance community awareness on environmental issues along the Togolese coastline, the WACA-Togo project has taken a new step by equipping 11 partner local radio stations with digital tablets. This gesture is part of a broader initiative to actively support the production of high-quality multimedia content — illustrated reports, videos, audio, and photos — which are essential in today’s digital era.
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Protecting Nouakchott: Mauritania Seals Critical Coastal Breaches
Mauritania is stepping up efforts to protect its coastline from the growing threat of erosion and marine intrusion. On March 10, 2025, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, alongside partners from the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA), led an inauguration ceremony to mark the successful closure of three critical breaches in the coastal dune barrier protecting Nouakchott.
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In Agbanakin, Restoring a Waterway — and Creating New Livelihoods
In Agbanakin, a riverside village in Benin’s Lacs 2 municipality, local communities are not only helping restore the Gbaga channel — they are finding new ways to turn this environmental effort into economic opportunity.
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Looking Back: Strengthening Coastal Resilience and Blue Economy Readiness in West Africa (April 2024 Retrospective)
April 2024 was a milestone month for coastal resilience in West Africa. World Bank teams working under the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Program worked alongside regional partners to advance shared priorities: building capacity, strengthening collaboration, and promoting innovation through nature-based solutions and the blue economy.
Nature-Based Solutions in Action