The World Bank has approved 240 million U.S. dollars to fund the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience and Blue Economy Programme (WACA+), according to a statement received on Thursday, March 19.
The initiative targets coastal protection and economic development in Benin and Mauritania, focusing on tackling erosion and flooding while expanding sustainable blue economy opportunities.
In Benin, the project will stabilise the Bouche du Roy estuary and the Mono River mouth, safeguarding communities, farmlands, tourism sites and key transport routes. In Mauritania, efforts will centre on strengthening the dune barrier protecting Nouakchott to reduce flood risks in densely populated and economically significant areas.
Across both countries, the programme will also restore up to 3,000 hectares of mangroves and coastal wetlands to boost fisheries, support ecotourism and aquaculture, and enhance climate resilience. The intervention comes as West Africa’s coastal regions—home to over 360 million people—face mounting environmental and economic pressures despite their critical role in driving growth, particularly in tourism, fisheries and port services.