RESILIENT COASTLINES RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Annual Report 2020 Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank I have seen all the houses go into the sea. The rooms in our house have disappeared into the water." Khady Gueye, 30 Bargny, Senegal 4 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES © 2021 The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA. Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This Report is based on activities of the West Africa Coastal Areas Management (WACA) Program in its first two years since inception. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions from countries and partners. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions: The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433; email: pubrights@worldbank.org. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared in 2020 to summarize the progress on Risks, Environment, Mobility and Development (Cerema), made on the WACA Program, including country-led activities and Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, those implemented to support countries since its launch in 2018. Netherlands Water Partnership, Institute of Research for Development (IRD), Confederation of Danish Industry (DI). The report is based on multiple sources of information from countries and regional institutions, technical studies • Development partners for their continued support to from the World Bank and development partners, as well as the countries and implementing partners, through both consultations and discussions with representatives of civil financing and technical assistance: Dutch Enterprise Agency society, governments, academia, and the private sector. (RVO); the European Union; French Development Agency (AFD); French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM); the The World Bank wishes to thank the many contributors to the Global Environment Facility (GEF); MAVA Foundation, WACA Program, notably: Nordic Development Fund, the OPEC Fund for International • The Governments and the people in the ministries and Development, Spanish Agency for International Development agencies of the countries engaged with the WACA Cooperation (AECID), and USAID’s West Africa Biodiversity Program, and which have committed to action and regional and Climate Change (WA-BiCC). integration detailed in the WACA Communique. And thank you to the many stakeholders engaged in the two • Regional institutions, including Abidjan Convention (ABC), private sector consultations, the Call for Innovation, through Ecological Monitoring Centre (CSE), Economic Community the Port Management Association, and numerous discussions of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community with partners in Europe and Africa leading to the design of the of West African States (ECOWAS), International Union WACA Program. for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), The team is especially grateful to the donors and World Bank Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa trust funds that have been essential in the implementation (RAMPAO), Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine of the WACA Program. These include the Global Facility Conservation (PRCM), and the West African Economic and for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, Nordic Development Monetary Union (WAEMU) for their commitment to regional Fund, Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility, GIZ, Quality integration and engagement in harmonizing their work for Infrastructure Initiative, PROBLUE, and Wealth Accounting and cross-border synthesis and economies of scale. Valuation of Ecosystem Service (WAVES)/Global Program on Sustainability (GPS). • Civil society representatives including the networks of PRCM, which provided essential feedback on transparency The team would like to thank the World Bank management and local solutions for resilience. for their guidance and support, and the Global Practices and • The Coastal Observatory partners, who have demonstrated departments that have contributed to WACA’s comprehensive exemplary complementarity, proving that regional integration approach to coastal resilience, including Climate Change; and harmonization are possible. These partners include the Education; Environment, Natural Resources, and the Blue European Space Agency, the Observatory Scientific Committee, Economy; External and Corporate Relations; Finance; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Competitiveness and Innovation; International Finance WAEMU, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Corporation; Social Development; Transport; and Urban, Resilience and Land. • Technical experts and programs contributing to regional and global knowledge on coastal resilience, including The report was produced by Sajid Anwar, Margaret Arnold, the WACA Interim Technical Advisory Committee, Africa Nicolas Desramaut, Peter Kristensen, Nicholas Paul, and Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the Madjiguene Seck, under the guidance of Maria Sarraf. University of Cape Coast, Center for Studies and Expertise Design and layout by William Rea, Fybr. Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 6 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 7 CONTENTS 9 Preface: Jonas Gbian 46 SECTION 3: 10 Foreword: World Bank: Debbie Wetzel REACHING RESILIENCE TARGETS 11 Foreword: Côte d’Ivoire: Joseph Séka Séka 46 Overview of WACA ResIP results 12 Executive Summary Country results 16 WACA at a Glance 48 Benin 50 Côte d’Ivoire 52 Mauritania 18 SECTION 1: THE WACA PROGRAM 54 São Tomé and Príncipe 18 The case for coastal resilience 56 Coastal Voices: when resilience means making a new home 20 Vision and strategy 58 Senegal 20 History 61 Partnering for impact 20 How WACA works 62 Togo 22 Threats to coastal resilience 64 Overview of WACA Platform results 26 Critical paths: goals and key milestones 65 Lessons learned 27 Measuring success 28 Coastal Voices: disappearing livelihoods 29 COVID-19: a green, resilient and inclusive recovery 66 SECTION 4: LOOKING FORWARD 66 Scaling up geographically 30 SECTION 2: 70 Scaling up knowledge PARTNERING FOR IMPACT 73 Scaling up communications 30 At the international level: mobilizing expertise and solutions 74 Scaling up dialogue 35 At the regional level: supporting existing institutions 75 Coastal Voices: youth outreach and mechanisms 76 Scaling up finance 39 Hydromet and early warning systems 40 A regional response to marine plastics 78 Acronyms and abbreviations 41 Mobilizing a comprehensive approach from the 79 WACA partnerships World Bank Group 43 Coastal Voices: activating the private sector Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 8 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 9 PREFACE The West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) Commission has made the sustainable development of the coastal The combination of the zone one of the priorities of the Common Policy for Environment Improvement World Bank’s ability to provide (CPEI), which promotes regional finance at the national and economic integration, competitiveness of economies, and a streamlined and regional levels in parallel harmonized legal environment. is proving effective for Accordingly, in 2007, convinced that integration, harmonization, Jonas Gbian, a coordinated response to coastal Commissioner sustainability was needed to deal with and economies of scale. West African Economic and Monetary common challenges of coastal risks Union (WAEMU) management, the WAEMU engaged in a The combination of the World Bank’s ability coastal resilience initiative in partnership to provide finance at the national and with the Economic Community of regional levels in parallel is proving effective West African States (ECOWAS) and the for integration, harmonization, and International Union for Conservation economies of scale. It also helps WAEMU of Nature (IUCN). This led to the to blend activities in complementary development of the Regional Coastal areas, such as mangroves, water resources Masterplan for West Africa (SDLAO) management, pollution and marine litter. covering eleven countries from Mauritania to Benin. In 2011, environment ministers WAEMU is committed to expanding its from those states committed themselves engagement with WACA through its to pursuing a better understanding of the institutions, instruments and ministerial scientific and bio-physical processes in committees. The WACA Platform for the coastal zone, and recommended the scaling up action, with its ability to crowd establishment of a coastal observatory. in knowledge and finance, complements Prior to the establishment of this our own efforts to ensure that countries observatory, the WAEMU Commission meet the commitments they have launched a mission, in collaboration with made to engage in regional integration. IUCN and CSE, in order to advance the Together with the World Bank, we have a functions of the observatory. new way of working, one that I believe is With the World Bank engagement through set to become a needed transformational WACA, we have been able to accelerate game-changer for sustainability and the regional integration on coastal resilience. well-being of our people in Africa. 10 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES FOREWORD: WORLD BANK Deborah Wetzel, World Bank Director of Regional Integration for Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East & Northern Africa We recognize that countries are facing to accelerate the transition toward a an enormous fiscal challenge due to the more sustainable, resilient and inclusive COVID-19 pandemic. However, this does WACA’s multiple interventions development model, where the health not mean that sustainable investments of the spaces people occupy, including that enhance resilience should be set to foster regional integration, coastal areas, is managed sustainably. aside in the short- and medium-term. It build the knowledge base, Economic data and the state of the is possible to design recovery programs that deal with the immediate challenge and find innovative financial biophysical environment are key factors when making development decisions. of economic recovery and jobs, while solutions like the Marketplace, The upcoming 2020 State of the Coast cementing the basis for a sustainable and resilient future. The West Africa are all central elements that Report, based on a massive effort to embrace digital development and data, Coastal Areas Program (WACA) provides will pave the way to transform becomes a powerful source of factual a clear example of this approach. and scale up the protection of and scientifically verified information for I believe we can turn the COVID-19 countries. Our hope is that through tools crisis into a catalyst to accelerate the West Africa’s coastline. like this, natural capital can be saved transition towards a more sustainable, and coastal ecosystems can continue to resilient and inclusive development serve coastal resilience. integration, build the knowledge base, model, where the health of the spaces and find innovative financial solutions The World Bank continues to support people occupy, including coastal areas, is like the Marketplace, are all central regional institutions in maintaining their managed sustainably. elements that will pave the way to leadership role in engaging countries. In this Annual Report, you will read transform and scale up the protection of WACA’s multiple interventions to foster about the emphasis on livelihoods and West Africa’s coastline. regional integration, build the knowledge social development that the WACA base, and find innovative financial My hope is that development partners Program offers, in parallel with physical solutions like the Marketplace, are all will continue to engage and help and green investments to combat coastal central elements that will pave the way to address the fundamental challenge of erosion, flooding and pollution. The transform and scale up the protection of coastal degradation, so that national World Bank has chosen to focus on these West Africa’s coastline. economies become resilient to natural entry points to sustainable development and man-made shocks. in coastal countries because coastal The COVID-19 crisis has posed degradation, if unaddressed, costs about unprecedented human loss, fiscal and five percent of countries’ GDP. economic challenges for countries I am keen to see regional institutions across the globe, including those in maintain their leadership role in Africa. We are hopeful, however, that engaging countries. WACA’s multiple recovery form the pandemic and related interventions to foster regional economic crisis can become a catalyst West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 11 FOREWORD: CÔTE D’IVOIRE Professor Joseph Séka Séka, Former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Côte d’Ivoire For more than a decade, the West resources will result in even higher costs. West African coast. The WACA platform, African coastal countries have suffered However, given the high costs already which aims to attract funding from from the adverse effects of coastal involved in combating coastal hazards, various sources to bring relief to a part erosion exacerbated by climate change, the implementation of these instruments of the world highly exposed to natural jeopardizing the high socio-economic, cannot be the sole responsibility of disasters, is seen by our countries as a environmental and cultural potential of developing countries. life-saving initiative which West African their coastal zones. According to a World decision-makers and stakeholders are Fortunately, the complex issue of coastal Bank study, coastal degradation cost four urged to support unconditionally. resilience, which encompasses challenges countries—Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal relating to climate change and disaster It is essential to promote the gradual and Togo—$3.8 billion, or 5.3 percent risk reduction, is generally dealt with by integration of the other West African of their combined GDP in 2017. As a the Regional Economic Communities countries into this important program so former Minister of Environment and (ECOWAS, WAEMU) through their that the implementation of projects at Sustainable Development of Côte Environmental Ministries. Regional national and cross-border level can lead d’Ivoire, being well aware of the organizations such as the Abidjan to the synergistic building of resilience integrated management coastline issues, Convention, the International Union for along the West African coast. I fully understand the significance of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and these figures for the country but also Therefore, I would like to appeal to the the Centre de Suivi Écologique (CSE) for the communities which bear the African community in general and the also work towards the resilience of the full brunt of the coastal degradation’s West African community in particular to West African coastal zones. Additionally, devastating effects. If nothing is done, engage fully in actions to fight coastal there are a number of long-standing the vulnerability of the socio-economic erosion, floods and landslides, by initiatives in coastal resilience, including infrastructure, natural resources and integrating them into the national, local the Mission Observatory for the West coastal populations will only grow, and sectoral development programs. African Coast (MOLOA), the Master Plan leading to an ever-increasing loss of for Coastal West Africa (SDLAO), and the Only then will we be able to find wealth in our countries. adoption by the plenipotentiaries of four sustainable solutions to the problems One of the challenges of coastal additional protocols to the 2019 Abidjan of the coastal area’s integrated development is to define the best possible Convention to address the challenges management, in order to greatly compromise between the needs for risk and risks facing African coastal zones. reduce the vulnerability of our coasts prevention and environmental protection to the many anthropogenic and natural Likewise, as Minister in 2018, I was on the one hand and the equally pressing threats they face. It will also open up excited to see the advent of the West development needs on the other, the opportunities for the development of a Africa Coastal Areas Management pace of which will be largely dictated by Blue Economy, likely to boost economic Program (WACA), supported and population dynamics. It cannot be said growth and environmental protection financed by the World Bank. This enough: a government alone cannot and thus help us achieve the Sustainable represents an excellent opportunity address challenges of this magnitude. Development Goals of Agenda 2030 in to achieve the effective and proven West Africa. The failure to address these challenges enhancement of the resilience of due to a lack of financial or human communities and targeted areas of the 12 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY About WACA received a mandate through the Dakar Provision of Implementation Support declaration in 2011 to support countries via IUCN: In support of WACA’s country- The West Africa Coastal Areas in the fight against coastal erosion. driven approach, the International Management (WACA) Program is a To fulfil this mandate, several joint Union for the Conservation of convening Platform that assists Western initiatives have been launched, notably Nature (IUCN) established a regional African countries in sustainably managing the preparation of the 2020 State of implementation support unit (RISU). their coastal areas and enhancing their the Coast report; the development The RISU monitors and evaluates socio-economic resilience to the effects progress, shares results and experience of climate change, facilitating access to of the strategic regional action plan among the countries in the region, and technical expertise and financial resources for investments; the framework for a ensures that environmental and social for these countries. gender action plan for coastal resilience; safeguards are understood, assessed WACA boosts the transfer of and the integration of the additional and applied. Initiatives include guidance knowledge, fosters political dialogue protocols of the Abidjan convention into for community relocation in Príncipe; among countries, and mobilizes public WAEMU legal instruments. mobilizing technical partners to support and private finance to tackle coastal the design of national activities; and erosion, flooding, pollution and participation in the establishment of a climate change adaptation. The WACA regionalized Grievance Mechanism. Program consists of country investment Countries have committed Supporting the West Africa Coastal projects, regional integration and to four protocols, for Observatory through the Centre de Suivi support activities, and a WACA Platform as the mechanism for scaling mangroves, marine litter, Ecologique (CSE): The CSE works in close collaboration with WACA’s Regional up knowledge, dialogue and finance. WACA builds on existing institutional oil and gas, and integrated Implementation Support Unit, focusing mandates and regional programs to coastal zone management. on the design and implementation of the implement its projects. Regional Observatory for the West African Coast (ORLOA), which covers twelve As COVID-19 threatens development Supporting the Abidjan Convention countries, from Mauritania to Benin, and gains and weakens the resilience of including São Tomé and Príncipe; the Protocols for the Marine Environment: coastal communities, WACA leverages second update of the Master Plan for the The Convention on Cooperation for existing programs in confronting the West African coastline priorities for actions the Protection, Management and pandemic and preparing the recovery and monitoring; and technical support to through resilient development of the Development of the Marine Environment the countries to build and strengthen their coastal areas, including socio-economic and Coastal Areas of the Atlantic Coast mechanism for coastal observation. assistance. of the West, Central and Southern African Region (Abidjan Convention) Building Capacity with the Africa Center Partnering for impact accelerates the development of regional of Excellence for Coastal Resilience cooperation instruments, to harmonize (ACECoR): ACECoR was established by WACA’s core function is to build coastal regulations and policies. The World Bank and the University of partnerships with national and regional Cape Coast (UCC), with the support organizations, as well as international Four protocols to which countries of the Government of Ghana and the development partners, to meet resilience have committed are supported, for Association of African Universities (AAU). targets for coastal communities. The mangroves, marine litter, oil and gas, and success of WACA’s first two years of The Center promotes coastal resilience integrated coastal zone management. through the development of technical operation is a mark of the extent and With support from WACA, the strength of these partnerships, and the and scientific expertise of young African Secretariat of the Convention, in professionals. ACECoR works with transformative intent of the Program. partnership with GRID-Arendal, has WACA to explore opportunities like the Regional Partnerships provided training to countries in Marine creation of an incubation hub to support Supporting the WAEMU Mechanisms Spatial Planning (MSP) for sustainable talented youth with creative business for Regional Integration: WAEMU coastal management. ideas related to coastal resilience. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 13 risk management to support the Multi Benin: Erosion control measures and Sector Investment Plans (MSIP) in protection works have been undertaken Following World Bank Board Ghana and Nigeria. on the south bank of the Mono River, through berm-nourishment and approval in 2018, all country The Netherlands: In October 2019, reforestation, securing about 3,500 representatives of the Governments of projects and the regional Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone joined a households from coastal erosion and flooding. Co-financing agreements integration mechanisms are WACA study tour of the Netherlands to have been signed with 33 Biodiversity learn about Dutch experience in nature- well into implementation. based water management and flood Community Conservation Areas cooperatives for Income Generating control measures. This led to further Activities (IGAs) in the fields of animal collaboration with Dutch institutions, husbandry, fish farming, market International Partnerships including Dutch participation in the gardening and agri-food processing. The Nordic Countries: In 2015, the Nordic 2019 WACA Finance Marketplace, protection of the Togo-Benin cross-border Development Fund (NDF) was the first and in June 2020 a Memorandum area from coastal erosion is underway. external donor to provide seed funds to of Understanding (MoU) was signed WAEMU and the World Bank to catalyze between the Netherland Water Côte d’Ivoire: WACA supports the the development of WACA. In 2018, creation of the National Agency for the Partnership (NWP) and the World Bank the Fund provided an additional €13.1 Integrated Coastal Zone Management for the establishment of a Hub of million, consisting of a €4.0 million loan (ANAGIL) and the preparation of expertise in support of WACA. to Benin, a €4.0 million loan to Senegal the coastal master plan (PAGLI). and €5.1 million to the World Bank for Global Facility for Disaster Reduction The Multisectoral Investment Plan the five-year period from 2018 – 2023. and Recovery (GFDRR): Since 2018, (MSIP) was completed for the Grand- The financing to the World Bank is the GFDRR has provided programmatic Lahou area, and preparatory studies core source for the development of the support for the design, launch and completed for Port-Bouet. In parallel, WACA Platform. To expand on this, operation of the WACA Platform, and mangrove restoration is underway, and in 2020, consultations with 20 public continues to support various WACA management of two national parks is and private Nordic institutions revealed initiatives, including the Marketplace ongoing through the Office Ivoirien des the emergence of several opportunities and Local Action Community Parcs et des Réserves (OIPR). for WACA in the form of research and Engagement (LACE). GFDRR’s Mauritania: Implementation of the technical programs. Japan program supports country Mauritania Coastal Master Plan France: France’s involvement in the engagements in Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, (PDALM), updated in 2017, is at WACA Program began with the signature and Nigeria to identify investment the core of support to Mauritania. of an Administrative Arrangement with priorities for resilient infrastructure and As part of this, the legal framework the World Bank in April 2016, and at social development. to regulate further construction in the 2018 One Planet Summit, President coastal areas is being updated. Local Macron renewed France’s commitment to Reaching resilience targets land-use plans are being prepared coastal resilience with support to Senegal Overview of WACA ResIP results for the two major economic growth for a coastal erosion control project, Following World Bank Board approval poles, aligning sector strategies and implemented by the French Development in 2018, all country projects and the respecting room for nature’s ecosystem Agency (AFD). France also mobilized regional integration mechanisms are services. In the Diawling National Park, resources from the French Facility for well into implementation. National natural ecosystems are restored as a Global Environment for coastal protection projects have harmonized work plans, source for livelihoods, while preserving in Senegal, Togo, and Benin. and adopted regional performance biodiversity. A key intervention in tracking procedures. Collaboration Mauritania is the rehabilitation of the Japan: Based on its experience in among the regional institutions coastal dune network that protects the managing natural disasters, Japan (WAEMU, IUCN, ABC, and CSE) capital city of Nouakchott against the supports initiatives and programs is functioning well, and residual risk of flooding. around the world to strengthen Disaster Risk Reduction. A "Virtual bureaucratic burdens are managed. São Tomé and Príncipe: A key objective Kickoff Meeting for Collaboration Final engineering designs for coastal in São Tomé and Príncipe is to reduce with Japan" was held in April 2020, to protection, mechanisms for social sub- the impact of climate change in coastal strengthen the partnership between the projects implementation, institutional communities by promoting settlement WACA Program and Japan. Following capacity building is ongoing. Physical expansion in safer areas and diversifying this, Japanese partners are drawing on works in the countries is anticipated to sustainable income-generating their expertise mainstreaming disaster commence by early 2021. activities. Through the project, twelve 14 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES of the country’s most vulnerable Senegal - Saint Louis Emergency coastal communities are implementing Recovery and Resilience Project adaptation strategies specific to their (SERRP): Active since September 2018, The first WACA Marketplace needs. Patrols by trained volunteers the project is aimed at reducing the provide early warning of disasters and vulnerability of populations to coastal brought together financial maintain risk reduction infrastructure, hazards and strengthening urban and partners and country and a census of artisanal fishermen coastal resilience planning of the city of and boats has been conducted to Saint-Louis. As of May 2020, 690 people representatives to define the equipment and trainings have been relocated from the high- catalyze investments in necessary for future safety at sea risk coastal zone, and a second phase activities. A diagnostic of the capacity was planned through December 2020. coastal resilience. of the national meteorological institute WACA complementing this project has been concluded with a view to by supporting the National Integrated developing a reliable coastal early Coastal Zone Management Plan for the erosion, flooding and pollution. An warning system. Laws and regulatory Saint-Louis area of Senegal. interim Technical Advisory Committee frameworks are also being reviewed (iTAC), consisting primarily of regional Côte d’Ivoire: Urban Resilience and scientists, was established to provide to include climate change and coastal Solid Waste Management Project: This disaster risks, including for marine technical advisory services, and to $315 million project, aimed at improving inform the identification of a long- spatial plans. the management of rainwater and term mechanism for managing, Senegal: Erosion control studies for household waste in poor, mainly coastal cultivating, and advancing knowledge the historic Gorée Island, and Dakar’s households, was approved in June 2020. on coastal resilience in the region. coastal roads (corniches east and west) The project will also set up a flood early The West Africa Hub for knowledge are commencing, ahead of planned warning system and strengthen the management and scientific advice, construction. The feasibility study for capacities of the institutions in charge of would be anchored in a regional creation of the National Agency for sanitation and urban planning. academic institution as part of the Integrated Coastal Management is Private Sector Dialogue: The IFC and transition of WACA functions. A about to start, and the contract for EFI partnered to organize two coastal study on climate change scenarios the National Integrated Coastal Zone resilience private sector dialogues and hazards was published to inform Management (ICZM) Plan has been in 2019. The informal network resilience planning for four countries. awarded. The ecosystem regeneration recommended creating a catalytic plans for the Langue de Barbarie Under the Finance Pillar, the first financing mechanism to facilitate the National Park and the Saint Louis marine WACA Marketplace, held in Abidjan private sector’s engagement on finance protected area have been finalized. in November 2019 brought together for coastal resilience and compliance financial partners and country Togo: Because of the risk of eastward with environmental standards. representatives to catalyze investments impact of interventions in Togo, coastal Scale-Up and Leveraging using in coastal resilience, and consultations protection measures are planned with the WACA Platform on a concept for a catalytic fund Benin. A Togo-Benin joint committee The WACA Platform has made for private sector investment was was formalized with a Memorandum significant progress in developing undertaken. Finally, business cases of Understanding in September 2018. knowledge, leveraging investment for 12 Public Private Partnership were The technical feasibility study for coastal financing, and facilitating regional initiated and will be brought to the protection between Togo and Benin is technical and political dialogue on next WACA Marketplace. A report on ongoing. The financing agreements for strengthening coastal resilience. an approach to Blue Bonds in Cabo 11 community sub-projects have been Verde was prepared. signed, and the activities associated with Under the Knowledge Pillar, the these sub-projects officially launched Platform has leveraged financing In the area of Dialogue, the WACA in December 2019. Business plans to establish the Africa Center of Communique, signed with the launch have been prepared for seven income- Excellence for Coastal Resilience of WACA in 2018, promotes regional generating activities (IGA) sub-projects. (ACECoR) now established at the integration, national scale-up, through University of Cape Coast, Ghana. With expanding scope of investments in Within the World Bank Group IRD and the ACECoR, the Platform current countries, and the mobilization WACA activities are complemented by supported the development of a of financial resources from partners. A significant investment financing for coastal Compendium of Solutions, a decision- program for Local Action and Community communities in the region through other making tool for policymakers that Engagement (LACE) was designed in World Bank-financed projects. provides to the challenges of coastal consultation with civil society. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 15 Lessons Learned preparation will address coastal Scaling Up Dialogue Several lessons have emerged from degradation and hazards in Cross Rivers, To engage with communities and WACA’s first years in operation and Delta, and Lagos states. The first results mobilize their capacity to protect the will be incorporated into future are expected in early 2021, and WACA coast and enhance resilience, WACA initiatives. Firstly, the design of is working with its development partners is working with civil society partners the Program, with its combination to identify financing. to develop a Local Action and Citizen of national, regional, and global Scaling Up Knowledge Engagement (LACE) initiative, focusing components has proven both effective Knowledge for coastal resilience is on three activity areas: facilitating and popular with countries and available at many levels. WACA is community-led partnerships for coastal development partners. Secondly, the working with partners to synthesize resilience; promoting public participation Marketplace concept, with its direct knowledge on the West African coastline, and citizen engagement in WACA, and links to Multi-Sector Investment Plans consolidating local knowledge, countries’ promoting social inclusion. (MSIPs) has delivered on its promise best practices and partners’ experience, of connecting government priorities Scaling Up Financing and to highlight emerging knowledge with appropriate investors and products or findings from ongoing and In its first two years of operation, the implementing partners. Finally, the planned projects. WACA Program has made significant West Africa Coastal Observatory has progress in leveraging public finance demonstrated the efficacy of having via traditional development projects, one coordinating institution working engaging the private sector, and with a network of countries and An investment portfolio of developing new financing instruments. partners to deliver key functions. At the heart of these efforts is the about 12 projects with a total Finance Marketplace. WACA convened Looking forward value of about $1.6 billion was the first Marketplace in November Scaling Up Geographically 2019 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Ghana signed onto the WACA presented by the ministries event resulted in one offer of specific Communique in November 2018, and of finance and environment finance and one transformative offer in late 2019 formally requested that of technical collaboration, both of the WACA Program be engaged for of each country to attract which are now being pursued. The technical assistance to inform potential potential investors. WACA Call for Innovation closed World Bank and partner investments at the end of last year and some for coastal resilience. A World Bank transformative private sector-related investment operation for coastal A first volume of the WACA ideas emerged, including the three resilience in Ghana is expected to be Compendium of Solutions is at stage winners: (i) the WAC-App which is approved in fiscal year 2022. finalization and aims to support decision an interactive coastal planning tool makers in ensuring that proposed to explore the impacts of coastal In Guinea, a signatory to the 2018 WACA technical options address their priorities, Communiqué, the IDA-financed Natural interventions; (ii) the Trans-Sand which and that they are resilient to predicted Resources, Mining and Environment is an idea for a transnational bypass climatic and non-climatic stressors, Management Project (P168613), takes scheme funded by a public-private both current and future. A 2020 West an intersectoral approach and provides dredging fund; and (iii) the SA-POD Africa State of the Coast Report will be an opportunity to support the first steps which is a systematic integrative published in 2021, focusing on pressures toward an integrated coastal and marine approach for port development. on coastal systems and the responses planning and the integration into the implemented by the States and their WACA has also reviewed national WACA Program. partners for the period 2016-2020. The investment strategies for projects WACA Climate Change Assessment that could be developed into public Guinea-Bissau signed on to the 2018 private partnerships, and a number of consolidates relevant information on WACA Communiqué and requested ideas have been identified, some of climate change in Mauritania, Senegal, assistance for investments in coastal which are in the process of detailed Togo, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire to protection and restoration, as well as financial analysis, and to be presented describe potential changes in the coastal social and livelihood activities. A World at an upcoming Marketplace. As a climate, as well as related hazards, Bank investment operation for coastal result of the Bank’s engagement with and will be published in 2020. Finally, resilience in Guinea-Bissau is expected to WACA is supporting a Mangroves development partners and the first be approved in fiscal year 2022. Study detailing the ecosystem services Marketplace, a total of $650 million In Nigeria, a signatory to the 2018 provided by mangroves to communities has been leveraged for approval or in WACA Communiqué, the MSIP in and countries in the region. the pipeline of donors. 16 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WACA AT A GLANCE Launched in 2018 across 9 Countries, WACA now supports: • Coastal protection at 22 sites • Social development with over 1,000 microprojects MAURITANIA CABO VERDE SENEGAL GAMBIA INTERVENTION TYPES GUINEA-BISSAU Policy Coastal Erosion GUINEA BENIN: Groynes, beach nourishment; river bank stabilization and rehabilitation; river mouth opening CÔTE D’IVOIRE: Establishment of a coastal agency; sand barrier protection; urban flood risk management SIERRA LEONE MAURITANIA: Coastal dune rehabilitation and protection; dyke rehabilitation and Nature-based extension; mangrove restoration; ecotourism Flooding solutions SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE: Protective retaining walls; road protection; breakwaters SENEGAL: Revetments; coastal road stabilization; ecosystem restoration and LIBERIA management; Ecotourism TOGO: Groynes; beach nourishment; shoreline stabilization; lake, river and canal dredging GAMBIA: Urban resilience and flood risk management Technical GHANA: Multi-sector investment planning; resilient infrastructure design; mangrove restoration planning Assistance/ GUINEA: Mangrove restoration planning Project Preparation GUINEA-BISSAU: Multi-sector investment planning; institutional capacity NIGERIA: Multi-sector investment planning; resilient infrastructure design CABO VERDE CAMEROON Future GABON Engagement LIBERIA SIERRA LEONE West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 17 REGIONAL ACTIVITIES WACA is engaged at the regional level to • West Africa Sustainable Ports’ Partnership promote integration and joint action, through (with PMAWCA) activities including: • Finance Marketplace for Coastal Resilience • National and regional coastal observatory (CSE) (World Bank) • Abidjan Convention protocol ratification and • Call for Innovation for coastal resilience and implementation at country level (ABC) sustainability (World Bank) • Regional WAEMU policy on coastal resilience, • Knowledge Helpdesk and international Hubs regional investment prioritization (WAEMU) (World Bank) • Implementation support by WACA Regional • Local Action and Community Engagement Implementation Support Unit (IUCN) (World Bank) • Africa Center of Excellence for Coastal • Ministerial Dialogue (WAEMU and World Bank) Resilience, ACECoR (University of Cape Coast) BENIN NIGERIA TOGO CÔTE GHANA D'IVOIRE CAMEROON SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE GABON 18 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 1. THE WACA PROGRAM The case for West Africa’s coastal areas are home risks in question may either be natural to about one third of the region’s or man-made, and in West Africa are coastal resilience population and generate more than half either generally similar for all or most of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The of the countries in the region, or are coastlines of West African countries are transboundary in nature. key for international trade are a source To fully uncover the potential of of essential natural resources and are growth of these areas, developments vectors for ongoing social and economic and settlement should take place in development. However, these areas a resilient environment, from which face a number of serious and increasing communities would benefit and to threats, including coastal erosion, What is WACA? which interventions would contribute. pollution, the depletion of fisheries, and Interventions aim to reduce the shared the many impacts of climate change. risks to which these countries and A study undertaken by the World communities are exposed, and to The West Africa Coastal Areas Bank estimates that the environmental strengthen their capacity to bounce Management Program (WACA) degradation in the coastal areas of -back and recover from shocks caused is a convening Platform that Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo or linked to coastal erosion, flooding brings stakeholders together cost $3.8 billion, or 5.3 percent of the or pollution. However, unless countries to assist West African countries four countries’ combined GDP in 2017. have systems in place to track the state in sustainably managing their Beyond the economic cost, disasters of the coast and assess whether and coastal areas and enhancing exacerbated by coastal degradation take how the economic, environmental and their socio-economic resilience lives and destroy livelihoods, but also social capital is at risk, it is hard to make to the effects of climate prevent future development and trap decisions for sustainable development. change. The program facilitates the most vulnerable into poverty. access to technical expertise COVID-19 has exposed the risk and financial resources for Coastal resilience is the ability of vulnerable communities face to their participating countries. countries and their coastal communities livelihoods when business as usual to absorb the shocks and stresses they is no longer possible. The pandemic currently face, adapt to future stressors, has also highlighted the need to build and progressively transform their long-term resilience into development communities into sustainable centers planning. Rather than placing the of equitable growth and prosperity coastal resilience agenda on hold, the that successfully manage risks from current crisis has made it more urgent coastal hazards and pollution. The than ever before. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 19 Environmental degradation Tackling flooding and coastal erosion requires a mosaic of interventions. Agriculture, disaster risk management, in the coastal areas of Benin, environment and water teams must join forces to reduce risk, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and protect ecosystems, and improve infrastructure in order to build resilient livelihoods.” Togo cost $3.8 billion, or 5.3 Simeon Ehui percent of the four countries’ Regional Director, Africa Sustainable Development, World Bank combined GDP in 2017. Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 20 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Vision and strategy History city of Saint-Louis, once considered the “Venice of Africa”, to view the effects WACA is a convening Platform that The World Bank and the West Africa of coastal erosion which are devastating brings stakeholders together to assist Economic and Monetary Union communities around the city. The visit was West African countries in sustainably (WAEMU) initiated the WACA Program part of a trip to Senegal by both leaders managing their coastal areas and with a technical assistance phase to demonstrate commitment to joint enhancing their socio-economic at COP21 in December 2015. The action on adaptation to climate change. resilience to the effects of climate countries, the World Bank through the The visit resulted in commitments of €15 change. The program also facilitates International Development Association million from France and €30 million from access to technical expertise and financial (IDA), the Global Environment Facility the World Bank for coastal protection and resources for participating countries. (GEF) and Nordic Development Fund the relocation of communities for this (NDF), established a financial package of The WACA Program was developed in specific Saint-Louis site. around $230 million, approved in April partnership with people living on the coast in six Western African countries - Benin, 2018, to fund the first WACA Resilience How WACA works Investment Project six countries with Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, São Tomé WACA builds on existing institutional a regional integration component to and Príncipe, Senegal, and Togo - who mandates and regional collaboration promote cross-border coordination depend on the coast for their livelihoods, to implement its projects. For example, and economies of scale. The French nutrition, food security, and prosperity. WAEMU and the International Union Development Agency (AFD) and the The program supports the efforts of these for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have French Fund for the Global Environment countries to improve the management of been instrumental in raising the profile of (FFEM) provided additional and their shared coastal resources and reduce the issues of coastal zone management, coordinated support to the package, the natural and man-made risks affecting erosion, flooding, and climate change. under the WACA Program. coastal communities. WACA is working The Abidjan Convention (ABC) has the with additional countries to scale up the In January 2018, Senegalese president mandate to create a common approach response to support all 17 coastal countries Macky Sall, French President Emmanuel and policy for coastal zone management, from Mauritania to Gabon, including Cabo Macron, and then-World Bank President and at the 12th Conference of the Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe. Jim Yong Kim visited Senegal’s historic Parties of the Abidjan Convention What does WACA aim to achieve? The program supports countries’ effort to improve the management of their shared coastal resources, and reduce the natural and man-made risks affecting coastal communities. Specifically, the Program aims to make households less exposed to coastal erosion, Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank flooding and pollution. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 21 Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank of United Nations Environment (COP12) in 2017, countries national and regional institutional and legal frameworks and agreed to address the coastal erosion problem. The Center assistance in the implementation of laws; the creation of key for Ecological Monitoring (Centre de Suivi Ecologique, CSE) is institutions and capacity building – both technical and skills – hosting the West African Coast Observation Mission (Mission for their staff; and the development of decision-support tools d’Observation du Littoral Ouest Africain, MOLOA), which is a such as observatories. regional cooperation mechanism, instigated by WAEMU, for In 2018, it provided a total package of $222 million to six the monitoring of the coastline and for the reduction of coastal countries (Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, São risks in West Africa. However, there is a need to catalyze better Tomé and Príncipe, and Togo), and a grant for regional collaboration and coordination and strengthen capacity for integration involving WAEMU, the IUCN, the Abidjan results-oriented approaches. Convention Secretariat, and the Centre de Suivi Ecologique WACA is implemented through a portfolio of WACA National (CSE). Additional finance and subsequent finance for parallel Resilience Investment Projects (WACA ResIP), which projects supporting the WACA objectives has been provided focuses on regional integration and national interventions, by other financiers. executed by countries and partners, and the WACA Platform, The main physical interventions of the project are focused on aimed at scaling collaboration, financing, knowledge, and protection against coastal erosion and flooding through dialogue for coastal resilience in the region, coordinated by the traditional “grey” infrastructure, such as building seawalls, dikes, World Bank. The functions of the Platform will eventually be and groins, and restoring and preserving “green” infrastructure. transitioned to one or more suitable regional organizations to ensure long-term institutional sustainability. Whenever possible, the project combines both features, by WACA National Resilience Investment Project (ResIP) implementing nature-based solutions such as fixing dunes, restoring wetlands and mangroves, and replenishing beaches— Approved by the World Bank Board in April 2018, the WACA all of which play a critical role in managing the coastline. Resilience Investment Project (WACA ResIP) is a regional integration project which provides support to countries WACA implements complementary activities through social in building an enabling environment for coastal resilience sub-projects, identified, designed and executed through through a range of measures. These include strengthening participatory approaches, to benefit the most vulnerable, 22 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IO N TAT RES FO DE VE RO NG MA D S OA A LR AST CO EAS THREATS TO UR BA NA R COASTAL RESILIENCE Threats to coastal resilience in West Africa are complex, costly, and widespread. To address them will require much greater financial resources than are currently provided, a high level of political mobilization, and the transfer of expertise and knowledge from within the region and from elsewhere in the world. IES VIT Coastal threats addressed by WACA CTI REA FSHO COASTAL EROSION OF Coastal erosion occurs primarily due to poorly designed or managed coastal infrastructure, such as ports. Climate change and extreme weather event exacerbates natural and man-made factors. In addition, coastal areas are deprived from their natural replenishment of sediment due to obstructions on rivers like dams. Finally, a significant amount of sand is mined from beaches further aggravating erosion rates. COASTAL FLOODING Coastal flooding with sea-water occurs due to storm surge events, while flooding with river-water happens when natural flood zones are no longer available (due to development) or their capacity is no longer sufficient to absorb the flood. POLLUTION Roughly 90 percent of solid waste in coastal waters originate from land-based sources. In Africa, just about 10 percent of liquid sewage is treated before emission in the coastal waters. Africa is the second-highest contributor to annual global plastics inputs from rivers into global oceans. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 23 M IC DA L ECTR OE DR HY RTS PO G NNIN PLA SE S DU N ITIE LAN MMU CO NG M INI SA ND 24 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Mauritania. Photo: Arne Hoel / World Bank For us Imragen, fishing is our life, Benin. Photo: JB Dodane / flickr.com it is the only thing we know. The last years have been a struggle for my people. We catch fewer and smaller fish; and most of our coast and our homes were swallowed by the sea.” Ahmed ould Bilal Fisherman, Iwik, Mauritania Ghana. Photo: Andrea Borgarello / World Bank What gender issues exist, and how do you address them? Women across the region lack equal access to economic opportunities and/or decision making and experience greater impacts of climate change and COVID-19 than men. Gender action plans at national level are being prepared to address some of these gaps. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 25 Does WACA play a role in fisheries? and to both the physical and the social resilience of the most exposed coastal communities. Interventions also support pollution control through better treatment of marine litter, oil WACA supports social spills and industrial and municipal waste. development and livelihood When designing WACA ResIP, the project team and partners activities for coastal accommodated the complexity of the implementation of communities, including the project, which involves the initial six countries, four those involved with fisheries. regional partners (UEMOA, ABC, CSE and IUCN) and multiple However, the Program is stakeholders, including the private sector, national and local not involved in fisheries authorities, targeted communities, and the larger public. management or governance. Technically well-designed projects often face behavioral change issues during implementation; accordingly, WACA ResIP introduced an innovative adaptive management approach, that changes the path to achieve the goals in response to these behavioral changes. The project provides for the hiring of an institutional development specialist (IDS) by each country project implementation unit and the WACA Regional Integration Support Unit. These specialists work on improving coordination and support stakeholders in change management. So far, the IDSs for WACA RISU and three IDS in country PIUs have been hired and have received training in the necessary skills. The WACA Platform Ensuring the resilience of the West African coast will require much greater financial resources than are currently provided, a high level of political mobilization, and the transfer of expertise and knowledge from within the region and from elsewhere in the world. The WACA Platform, announced at the One Planet Summit in Paris in December 2017, is the response to this challenge. The Platform serves as a vehicle for scaling current levels of collaboration, and is supported by three pillars: Knowledge & Solutions; Finance & Instruments; and Dialogue & Engagement. Knowledge & Solutions The Knowledge Pillar of the WACA Platform identifies needs and priorities for coastal resilience investments, facilitating the access of countries to global expertise and knowledge. Knowledge products guide intervention strategies in natural capital, nature-based and sustainable infrastructure solutions, Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank new or updated WACA Multi-Sector Investment Plans, and migration and gender aspects. The Platform facilitates knowledge exchanges between countries within West Africa, and with countries beyond. Coordinated by the World Bank, the Knowledge Pillar is being implemented with multiple partners through several initiatives, including the African Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience, hosted at University of Cape Coast, for academic capacity building, and the West Africa Coastal Observatory for data and state-of-the-coast reporting. Activities of these initiatives are covered in greater detail later in this report. 26 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Finance & Instruments In a similar way, the 2019 Private Africa, especially for those exposed to One of the key objectives of the WACA Sector Communique provided the erosion, flooding, and pollution. Platform is to mobilize investments for confirmation of the commitment of The key milestone for investment coastal resilience; to achieve this, two industry stakeholders from transport, financing is the mobilization of $2 billion strategies are deployed: mining, energy, fisheries to pursue for coastal resilience. This is the minimum deeper engagement and establish ways estimated amount required to ensure • bilateral discussions with traditional to facilitate access to information and a transformative development impact development partners to mobilize identification of projects of interest to for West Africa’s coastal communities, and coordinate concessional and the private sector. resulting in more resilient communities grant financing; and in most high-risk areas in the region, • development of a WACA Critical paths: goals and and a long-term and sustainable Marketplace, a simplified investment key milestones reduction of poverty mechanism that aims to match The WACA Program’s core development For the WACA Platform, the key the demand for coastal resilience goal is to strengthen the resilience of milestone is the progressive transfer of investments with the supply of people and communities in coastal West services provided by the Platform to West partner financing. Several Financing Instruments could be used to finance public and private projects for coastal resilience. These include public private partnerships, project guarantees, and bonds. The Private Sector is keen to be part of the solution for coastal resilience and represents an opportunity to maximize financing for development. The WACA Platform is engaging the private sector to help develop the relationships, tools and mechanisms needed to support their engagement in strengthened coastal resilience for the region. Dialogue & Engagement Via the 2018 WACA Communique, the thirteen countries provided an authorizing environment to pursue three critical streams of work for WACA: Regional integration, working via regional economic commissions (WAEMU and ECOWAS), the Abidjan Convention and its protocols, and the pursuit of a regional observatory for coastal resilience continuing the work by the Centre de Suivi Ecologique. Ghana. Photo: Andrea Borgarello / World Bank • National scale-up through expanding scopes to current investments in current countries and expanding it to other countries on the WACA Multi- Sector Investment Plans. • Mobilizing financial resources from partners in support of new WACA projects or to complement the existing portfolio of projects for strengthened coastal resilience. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 27 African regional institutions to ensure will decide where the functions of the sustainability of the WACA Program. the WACA Platform will eventually While the WACA Program is currently The key milestone for be housed. Development partners, housed in and coordinated by the World including regional organizations, will Bank, its long-term success relies upon investment financing is the support WACA by mobilizing or aligning the adoption of the program by the mobilization of $2 billion for their own resources and programs countries, institutions, and communities with WACA objectives, building on in the region itself. This scale-up Platform coastal resilience. existing or planned WACA investments therefore operates under a “build, and analytical work. Individuals on the operation, and transfer” model, where Committee will act as ambassadors services and functions are first designed challenge and whose development is for WACA so that other agencies and and implemented jointly by the World supported by the WACA Program to resources can be mobilized. Bank, countries, and partners, and ensure a smooth and successful transfer. Getting the right solutions: The mix gradually transferred to the appropriate To maximize impact and address the of African and international expertise regional institution that is already needs of coastal communities as is critical for success. From the outset, engaged with the coastal resilience fast as possible, the WACA Program the World Bank has recognized the utilizes a “critical path” approach to need for technical quality and included achieve its dual objectives to mobilize a a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) transformative level of investments and as part of the knowledge pillar. France ensure the sustainability of the program has been engaged since 2018, and an through the transfer of its functions. African group of experts are engaged This critical path approach results in as of 2019. WACA is in the process of three guiding principles for the WACA formalizing engagements with experts Program to: from Japan, France, Nordic countries, • guarantee the immediate relevance and Korea. The TAC could advise on of all investments, initiatives, or other which scientific bodies – for example, work supported by the program; regional research centers - could be utilized to advance technical depth and • build on existing initiatives and mobilize additional expertise. institutions, and minimize the creation of new processes or Raising Awareness: A network of structures; and communications experts at country, regional, and WB level has been • always ensure a people-centered established, with common strategies, approach that includes the messaging, and outreach – all meaningful engagement of coastal contribution to a one-stop-shop website communities and people where a role (www.wacaprogram.org). The program for their involvement in the program is looking to engage scientific, technical, is clearly elaborated. cultural and political luminaries in Africa to promote WACA and urgency of the Measuring success broader issue of coastal resilience. At its most basic level, success is Building African Ownership: It is measured by the number of households proposed that adequate African targeted coastal areas with less exposure representation in the governance to the impacts of coastal erosion, structure should be ensured. The flooding, and pollution. Other measures Committee needs to be an Africa-owned of success relate to the sustainability of structure, hence the strong representation the WACA Program and its longer-term of African organizations and people, and impact. These are: the engagement of ministers of finance Creating a Coalition of partners: WACA and their deputies at the WBG Annual is building a collation of partners, Meetings. Communities and other including West African Institutions stakeholders are also needed to fully buy and Donors, that are committed to into the WACA Program objectives, which making a success of the Program. It is will require sustained engagement with intended that regional organizations civil society and academia. 28 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Côte d’Ivoire. Photo: Jack / flickr.com Coastal Voices: disappearing livelihoods For a long time, Yacine Dieng used to make a decent living as a fishmonger in Bargny, Senegal. Like other members of the Lebou tribe of fishermen, she took pride in living on the coast, and off the plentiful marine resources. But as the sea gradually swallowed her home, her possessions, and her pride, she could no longer provide for her family. Yacine has now found a new passion: helping women from the coast get organized and lobby for solutions that can improve their lives. “The sea took the little we had. We are left with no choices, we have nowhere to go,” she explained. Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank Yacine’s story is one that could be repeated by thousands who live along the coast of West Africa. As noted by the World Bank, flooding, erosion, and pollution cost the countries of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo about $3.8 billion in 2017 alone. Globally, coastal degradation causes more than 13,000 deaths a year, primarily due to flooding and pollution. It disrupts both lives and livelihoods, and causes the displacement of entire populations. “The findings show the financial and social urgency to strengthen the resilience of millions of people living on the coastline.” says Benoît Bosquet, Director for Environmental and Natural Resources Global Practice at the World Bank. “Countries need to work together to find common solutions and crowd-in the finance needed to protect their coastline and avoid future damage.” WACA was established to help countries meet these challenges and preserve their coastlines. Benin. Photo: Roberto Maldeno / flickr.com The program finances interventions such as the construction of protective measures, the restauration of mangroves and the treatment of waste to combat the pollution of the ocean. The degradation of West Africa’s coasts already has dramatic significance for Yacine Dieng and many others. Investing in coastal preservation today will help them rebuild their livelihoods. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 29 COVID-19: a green, resilient and effects of these challenges; in turn, they amplify the impact of the pandemic on the poorest communities. inclusive recovery The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world, putting lives The World Bank Group has provided fast-track emergency on hold, causing systems like healthcare and supply chains to support to over 100 countries, and will deploy $160 billion strain under a new burden, and threatening entire economies. over 15 months to help countries protect the poor and The crisis has also given us a new appreciation of why the vulnerable, bolster economic recovery, and help maintain the resilience of people and economies is imperative. This is private sector. something which may once have seemed obvious, but which Current activities of the WACA Program complement ongoing we approach with a new and more visceral understanding as investments for COVID-19 in three ways in support of we write this Annual Report for the WACA Program. sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery: The current deficit in resilience is particularly stark in coastal Income-generating activities planned to improve livelihoods. West Africa, where poverty rates are at 41 percent, where Meaningful community participation allows communities to communities are visibly losing their assets to coastal erosion (i) play an active role in risk management; (ii) recognize and and floods, and where plastic and other pollution dominates accept risk mitigation measures; and (iii) contribute to a shared the landscape of poor urban communities. Climate change understanding of the responsibilities of each stakeholder in is set to exacerbate the trends, with sea level rise of 0.3- reducing the risk. It also ensures better representation for 0.6 meters by 2050, and 1 meter by 2100. Extreme rainfall, the most at-risk groups in the community, including, persons extended droughts and other climate events are likely to with disabilities, the elderly, and members of female-headed become more frequent in the region. COVID-19 multiplies the households, all of whom are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. Investments in protection against erosion, floods and pollution. Such investments reduce community exposure Who finances the to hazards, but also improve sanitary and living conditions, WACA Program? through improved resilience of both lives and livelihoods to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Support for the West Africa Coastal Observatory. Effective National governments, bilateral data is essential in reducing the impact of the COVID-19 and multi-lateral donors, pandemic on countries and communities. WACA mobilizes private sector, international data, develops analytical applications, establishes partnerships and national NGO’s. for support, and uses technology to establish easy-to-use information systems. As a result, regional institutions have access to the data, analytics, and expertise necessary to make the best decisions possible for addressing exigencies like the current crisis. As COVID-19 continues to spread, threatening development gains and attacking the resilience of coastal communities, WACA will continue to explore ways of leveraging existing programs and investments to support countries and the region in confronting the pandemic and preparing the recovery through resilient development of the coastal areas. As such, WACA is an integral part of countries’ sustainable recovery in the post-pandemic world. In São Tomé and Príncipe, the Ministry of Health is using the 31 coastal risk local committees supported by WACA, to disseminate guidance and raise awareness. Women’s cooperatives were also trained in sewing protective masks and generating income. In Benin, income generating activities were extended to communities economically impacted by the pandemic. In Senegal, the World Bank/NDF-funded Radio du littoral was used to organize radio program on how the pandemic affects fishers and coastal communities. 30 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 2. PARTNERING FOR IMPACT WACA’s approach to partnering and Who is responsible collaboration on coastal resilience is for implementation of outlined in the WACA Communique, This is a call for action that the program? which was issued by 13 countries in 2018. This is a call for action that asks asks institutions and partners institutions and partners to follow to follow through on their through on their existing commitments National governments are and coordinate regionally on future existing commitments and responsible for managing commitments. coordinate regionally on investments in countries, and regional organizations are The WACA Program supports existing future commitments. responsible for managing regional and national counterparts to regional integration activities. implement their existing commitments and identify and plan for future common interest in coastal and marine interventions. In this sense, it does not issues. They share a profound respect for create anything new, it helps make nature and its environmental services, current measures towards coastal and the urge to ensure sustainability. resilience more effective. The countries also share cultural and natural assets, and from historic times The spirit of the Communique is have practiced integrated and cross- that partners shape their programs, border management of coastal areas. institutions, and instruments so that the Over the years, Nordic countries have support to coastal resilience becomes supported innovative approaches to more than the sum of its parts. development, emphasizing governance, At the international level: climate, and participation with a distinct strategic focus on leveraging resources. mobilizing expertise and Against this backdrop, a series of solutions consultations with the Nordic Nordic Countries Development Fund (NDF) and about 20 With their own expansive coastal areas, public and private institutions in Nordic the Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, countries, starting in 2020, saw the Iceland, Norway and Sweden - have a emergence of several opportunities for West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 31 As population growth and climate change increasingly impact the coastline, WACA’s vision becomes ever more important, and its execution more urgent.” Professor Ochou Delfin WACA Coordinator, Côte d'Ivoire Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 32 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES these countries to support research and technical programs in coastal resilience The West Africa Coastal Areas around the world. If connected to Three knowledge exchanges Program (WACA) is a transformative WACA, these initiatives could be of response to the urgency of addressing greater benefit to West African countries took place in 2018: In coastal erosion, flooding, and and communities, providing expertise on France on coastal risk pollution. Through it, countries and topics like the social development regional institutions come together aspects of coastal management, management, in Senegal on to bring cross-boundary solutions for effective community participation, photo interpreted coastal the resilience of West Africa’ s coastal plastic pollution, capacity development, communities, economy, and natural and private sector engagement. The infrastructure mapping, capital. Through WACA, finance, WACA Program has identified and in the Netherlands on innovation and partnerships are immediate entry points for collaboration mobilized at the scale needed for a and will continue the dialogue with nature-based solutions. green, resilient and inclusive recovery Nordic partners to explore further and development.” opportunities and identify how Saint-Louis, implemented by the French partnerships between the Nordics and Development Agency (AFD). Ousmane Diagana West African countries and institutions Vice President, Western & Central Africa, Based on French expertise, the World can be sustained over time. World Bank Bank and France are collaborating on France several other projects within the WACA Following a COP21 side event on coastal Program: risks in West Africa, France’s involvement in the WACA Program began with • Nature-based solutions and coastal the signature of an administrative observation: The WACA/FFEM arrangement with the World Bank in project “Nature Based Solutions and April 2016. France is a maritime nation: Coastal Risk Monitoring in Benin, with over 11 million km2 of marine Senegal and Togo”, led by the waters, including its overseas territories, Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE), the country has the second largest was initiated at the WACA Program What is the role of the exclusive economic zone in the world. launch in Dakar in November 2018. World Bank? Of its 20,000 km of coastline, including The project leverages French expertise overseas territories, 25 percent are to reinforce the capacity of key subject to erosion. France has a history stakeholders in coastal observation The World Bank manages a of coastal observation, risk management, and coastal risk management, range of technical assistance marine protected areas, Integrated with pilot activities in the field activities in support of WACA Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and demonstrating soft solutions like countries, and currently acts more recently, with the implementation mangrove restoration and dune as convener of the Platform. of the EU marine framework directive, ecosystem management. In the marine spatial planning. area of coastal observation, four French public institutes (Cerema, France undertook to finance a staff SHOM, IGN and BRGM) provide member under the Global Secondment countries with historical data from Program, and to collaborate on WACA sea charts, bathymetric surveys and What is the role of and subsequently on the Blue Economy. aerial photos, which are essential countries? Commitments included bringing in French in understanding the evolution expertise and providing investment of coastal erosion processes over financing of €1,277,000 from the French several decades. Three knowledge Global Environment Facility (FFEM) and exchanges took place in 2018: In Countries maintain a Multi- €800,000 from the French Ministry for France on coastal risk management, Sector Investment Plan (MSIP) an Ecological and Inclusive Transition in Senegal on photo interpreted which is updated periodically (MTES) for a WACA/FFEM project. In coastal infrastructure mapping, and to reflect new opportunities 2018, President Macron renewed France’s in the Netherlands on nature-based and priorities for action on commitment to the issue through support solutions. The Center for Studies coastal resilience. to Senegal for a coastal erosion control and Expertise on Risks, Environment, project on the Langue de Barbarie in Mobility and Development (Cerema) West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 33 – a public institution focused on supporting public policies to jointly begin the identification of projects in support of - is also supporting CSE in the feasibility study for the priority areas identified in the coastal development plans regional observatory. in both countries. AFD will support the technical assistance required through their €30 million Adapt’Action trust fund • Coastal engineering and coastal zone planning: Cerema facility which assists NDCs. AFD is also interested in potential has been mobilized to provide staff-time and expertise collaboration opportunities in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. to WACA ResIP countries on engineering solutions and The WACA Program and Adapt’Action will coordinate TF planning through the WACA Regional Implementation resources to support the technical assistance required to Support Unit (RISU). leverage investment financing in both countries. • Evidence-based policy: The French National Research The Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), a public The Netherlands is recognized as a global leader in innovative scientific and technological institution, is leading the solutions for coastal zone management, including flood development of the WACA Compendium of Solutions, risk, erosion control, and water resource management. detailed further in Chapter 4, in partnership with the These solutions include novel approaches to traditional grey University of Cape Coast in Ghana. infrastructure, and nature-based solutions that promote • France parallel- and co-financing: An ongoing dialogue ecosystem-based approaches to risk management. Proven has been established with AFD to deepen collaboration on solutions like these, adapted to a variety of West African coastal resilience in West Africa through the WACA Program. contexts, will help manage coastal risks in WACA countries In June 2019, AFD confirmed that they are seeking to provide through hybrid approaches using both grey and green investment financing or co-financing to two projects as part solutions, achieving greater resilience along with co-benefits of the WACA collaboration, in Mauritania and Senegal, such as biodiversity conservation, livelihood diversification, and subject to Board approval. This provides an opportunity strengthened natural resource management. Mauritania. Photo: Scott Wallace / World Bank 34 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WACA facilitates the access of West African countries and WACA partners to Dutch technical expertise and knowledge on water management, coastal risk management, and nature-based solutions. In October 2019, in partnership with the with the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), WACA organized a study tour of the Netherlands for representatives of the Governments of Albania, Georgia, Ghana, Liberia, Romania, and Sierra Leone to learn about the Dutch experience in nature- based water management and flood control measures. The study tour led to further collaboration with NWP, which participated in the 2019 WACA Finance Marketplace and whose involvement was formalized in June 2020 in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Bank. This MoU formalizes NWP’s role in making Dutch expertise in coastal and flood management available to West African countries and assists NWP in its mission to help 180 organizations from the Dutch Water sector to have an international impact. With the recent establishment of the WACA Netherlands Hub with NWP, the WACA Program aims to expand and deepen this collaboration. WACA’s engagement with the Netherlands continues to evolve and expand. Through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), WACA has engaged Dutch students studying climate resilience in West Africa coastal development initiatives and continues to engage RVO to explore potential opportunities for collaboration, including technical assistance, development coordination, and investment financing opportunities. Japan As an island nation, Japan has a coastline of 35,307 km2, and most of its Benin. Photo: Aurel59 / shutterstock.com population and assets are concentrated in the low-lying coastal areas. Due to the impact of intensive development of river basins and coastal areas, much of Japan’s coastline is facing the threat of erosion. In addition, frequent typhoons and heavy rains pose a significant risk of storm surges and other coastal flooding. For this reason, measures West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 35 against coastal erosion and flooding At the regional level: have long been promoted. In addition to floods, the country is exposed to supporting existing hazards such as volcanic eruptions, institutions and landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis. Accordingly, Japan has established mechanisms and applied comprehensive disaster Supporting the WAEMU Mechanisms risk management (DRM) measures, for Regional Integration covering the entire disaster management The WACA Program supports the cycle, from legal and organizational strengthening of integration between arrangements to recovery and regional institutions and countries. reconstruction. Based on its experience, WACA activities contribute to: Japan supports initiatives and programs • Entrenching the role of WAEMU around the world to strengthen DRR, as a regional lead in setting the based on the Sendai Framework for strategic vision on coastal resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction. monitoring coastal risks and regional A "Virtual Kickoff Meeting for coordinating investments with Collaboration with Japan" was held in ECOWAS; April 2020, to strengthen the partnership • Strengthening the partnership with between the WACA Program and IUCN as a technical arm for the Japan, and to share basic information implementation of regional policies on program activities with Japanese and to provide technical assistance for stakeholders. About 50 participants from regional initiatives and national activities; organizations including Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism • Formalizing the mission entrusted to (MLIT), Japan International Cooperation the Ecological Monitoring Center of Agency (JICA) and research institutes, Dakar (CSE) for the establishment of as well as researchers from the Coastal the regional coastal observatory; and Engineering Committee of Japan Society • Reaffirming the role of the Abidjan of Civil Engineers (JSCE) attended. Based Convention and its additional on this engagement, the WACA team and protocols for the development of Japanese stakeholders are in discussions regional harmonized policies on to identify themes that match the needs coastal zone management. of the WACA Program, drawing on Japanese expertise to develop cooperative The support provided for regional activities. At the same time, a more integration by the WACA Program, sustainable arrangement for Japanese especially its Investment Project (WACA expertise to feed into the WACA Program ResIP), has enabled the establishment is being explored – perhaps using a Japan of a framework for regular political and knowledge hub, a model which has technical dialogue between coastal proven successful with other programs. countries, to initiate the standardization As part of support to the WACA Program, of regional technical support for the Japan-funded "Japan World Bank investments to the countries and to Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk facilitate the mobilization of technical Management in Developing Countries" and financial international partners. will be mobilized to support the The integration process began in development of Multi Sector Investment 2007 with the launch of the Regional Plans (MSIP) for Ghana and Nigeria. Coastal Erosion Program, which led to Upcoming partners the preparation in 2011 of the West WACA is keen to coordinate with many African coastal Masterplan (the Schéma more partners, including Spain, the Directeur du Littoral d’Afrique de l’Ouest, Africa Development Bank, the OPEC SDLAO) and the 2016 State of the Coast Fund for International Development, and Report. Several joint initiatives have been UN Habitat. launched, notably the preparation of the 36 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 2020 State of the Coast; the development • Additional Protocol on environmental of the strategic regional action plan norms and standards for offshore oil The role of projects like WACA for investments; the framework for a and gas exploration and exploitation is to raise awareness and bring gender action plan for coastal resilience activities (Oil & Gas) solutions that can be adopted and the integration of the additional • Additional Protocol on integrated and supported by the states and protocols of the Abidjan convention coastal zone management (GIZC) adapted by coastal communities into WAEMU legal instruments. These initiatives strengthened and revitalized • Additional Protocol on sustainable to guarantee sustainability and mangrove management (Mangrove) the existing regional committees by efficiency.” reaffirming their mandate. • Regional Policy on integrated ocean Aliou Faye management (IOM) Supporting the Abidjan Convention PACO Regional Director, IUCN Protocols for the Marine Environment Fourteen out of nineteen Contracting The Convention on Cooperation for Parties signed the Additional Protocols in the Protection, Management and Abidjan in July 2019 at the Conference Development of the Marine Environment of Plenipotentiaries, organized by the How has the COVID-19 and Coastal Areas of the Atlantic Coast of Secretariat. All of the Protocols have been pandemic affected the the West, Central and Southern African the subject of national consultations program? Region (Abidjan Convention) has, for with the aim of ensuring that national more than six years, accelerated the concerns, to the extent possible, are process of developing regional cooperation reflected in the Protocols documents. COVID-19 has caused the instruments. The cooperation agreements The Abidjan Convention has also started Program to increase its focus are as follows: drafting action plans for each protocol on livelihoods and social • Additional Protocol on pollution and for the Regional Policy in order to development activities. from land-based sources and define a roadmap for the integration activities (LBSA) into national laws and implementation West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 37 of the additional protocols. The action plans present a list of activities to be implemented at the regional and national level to ensure the application of the Protocols. Four out of six countries - Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania and Senegal - have already conducted their national consultations. Guinea, Liberia, the Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone have also adopted their action plans during their national consultations. The Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention, in partnership with GRID-Arendal, organized a training course on marine spatial planning in February 2020 in São Tome. The training was aimed at strengthening the capacity of WACA ResIP PIUs on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) to facilitate the implementation of marine development plans for sustainable coastal management. It has helped the PIUs to understand the relevance of spatial planning, providing them with tools for the implementation of their National Components 2 "Strengthening national policies and institutions" and 3 "Strengthening physical and social investments at the national level", particularly on aspects related to multi-sector investment and spatial planning including the marine development plan. Provision of Implementation Support via IUCN Country operations are at the heart of WACA’s projects, locally driven yet regionally informed, where ecologies, economies and societies are interlinked, requiring solutions that cross disciplines and borders. This means mobilizing a range of expertise Benin. Photo: Vladimir Dvoynikov / shutterstock.com 38 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES - including technical, fiduciary, and green and mixed civil engineering, local level, with focal points to organizational - with different partners the development and execution of collect anonymous remarks and to share experience and knowledge and management plans, and institutional a dedicated number for mobile build capacities. arrangements to share and act on messaging and calls. Local committees the latest information, the RISU has comprising government, civil society In 2018, to provide the capacity needed engaged the Cerema, Centre for Studies and community associations invite for this approach, the International and Expertise on Risks, Mobility, Land expressions of concern or complaints, Union for the Conservation of Planning and the Environment. This and establish procedures to address Nature (IUCN) established a regional means engaging directly at country level and resolve disputes at community, implementation support unit (RISU) in with technicians and scientists, and then local, and ultimately the national Dakar. The RISU monitors and evaluates also with the communities themselves. level as needed. The mechanism’s scope progress, shares results among the Cerema is providing advice on a mix is broad, encompassing concerns about countries in the region, and ensures that of the lowest impact land works and environmental mitigation measures environmental and social safeguards are dredging, mangrove regeneration, and and civil works, voluntary relocation understood, assessed and applied. collaborative planning, helping to reduce of the most exposed households, erosion and secure the coastline. labor conditions, and gender-based discrimination and abuse. At the On Príncipe Island, in São Tomé and regional level, the RISU will host a Príncipe, some beachfront families repository to document cases. The RISU The Regional Implementation are starting to relocate their homes is also engaging other partners, such as to adjacent locations less exposed Support Unit at IUCN in Senegal to erosion and inundation. RISU is the RAMPAO (Network of West Africa’s Network of Protected Areas). is mentoring the national providing guidance, alongside the World Bank team, to the national WACA team Supporting the West Africa Coastal WACA teams in programming to ensure participative planning, respect Observatory and the Centre de Suivi activities and effectively of land rights, and proper housing and common infrastructure. Safeguards Ecologique (CSE) The CSE is a public utility institution reporting and sharing results. respect local ecology and society, under the technical supervision of the building on the precautionary principle Senegalese Ministry of Environment. and sponsoring local solutions to avoid It works in close collaboration with harm, find ecologically friendly options, WACA’s Regional Implementation Planning and monitoring are crucial in and attain sustainability. Support Office, focusing on: ensuring that decisions and investments are appropriate, effective, timely and National calls for evidence-based advice • the design and implementation of the conducted in the proper sequence. The to decision makers led to a regional Regional Observatory for the West Regional Implementation Support Unit session on marine spatial planning African Coast (ORLOA), consolidating at IUCN in Senegal is mentoring the hosted in São Tomé. A core group the achievements of the West African national WACA teams in programming of four experts of complementary Coastal Observation Mission (MOLOA) activities and effectively reporting and institutions from each of the six WACA in regional cooperation in coastal sharing results. This is fundamental in countries reviewed the latest techniques monitoring and coastal risk reduction. helping decision makers determine the for combining complex, overlapping ORLOA will be covering twelve best use of resources and communicate data sets and geo-referencing to countries, from Mauritania to Benin, verified changes to financial partners and evaluate coastal conditions and define and including São Tomé and Príncipe; the general public. At the country and management scenarios, maximizing • the second update of the 2020 regional level priority is already given to resources and reflecting real-time land State of the Coast report for the establishing safeguards for monitoring use and occupation. Core country West African coastline , which project activities and mitigating negative groups like these are developing national identifies the priorities for actions impacts while promoting positive ones. training programs and will join in data and monitoring-observation for the As WACA’s Monitoring and Evaluation collection, sharing and mapping to coastline, subdivided into sectors in (M&E) system becomes virtual and mutualize planning and coordination of the respective countries; and regionally accessible in 2020, it will resilience initiatives across the region. be possible to regularly track and • technical supports to the countries to To receive and address community compare project impacts on vulnerable build and strengthen their mechanism concerns or complaints, WACA partners households across the six countries. for coastal observation. are collaborating in establishing and To provide advice, and to evaluate managing a regionalized Grievance The CSE has started the feasibility and monitor proposals for coastal Mechanism, operating at the very study for ORLOA with the support of West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 39 São Tomé and Príncipe. Photo: Xinovap / shutterstock.com Cerema and FFEM, and is currently at the diagnostic stage. A questionnaire has been sent to the countries to evaluate their coastal observation systems, assess the needs for equipment and the acquisition of marine and coastal data, and identify potential indicators for the monitoring of coastal risks in Hydromet and the region. To ensure consistency between the observation early warning systems systems at the regional and national levels, a note defining ORLOA's main orientations has been drawn up. Coastal inundation occurs on vulnerable coastlines The ORLOA will be connected to a database; an early throughout the world, and the combination of warning system on coastal hazards; and a web platform for storm surge (typically from storm systems) with information sharing and dissemination linked to its website: hydrological flooding at various tidal states, can regularly lead to major infrastructure damage, https://www.orloa.net/. The communication system also coastal erosion, and loss of life. The West Africa includes a quarterly newsletter. Coastal Inundation Forecasting Initiative (WA-CIFI) Concerning the 2020 State of the Coast report, following is designed to provide such a combined forecast the formulation of the methodological note, the basic forms and warning service. WA-CIFI is a joint initiative needed for the reporting have been updated. The mapping of the WACA Program, through the World Bank of the evolution of the different challenges and Intervention hydromet program in West Africa, with the World Monitoring priorities for the 179 sectors of the SDLAO, plus Meteorological Organization (WMO). the additional sectors in São Tomé and Príncipe, is in progress The pilot project helps the West African countries with the involvement of country correspondents who have (through WACA and MOLOA) to operate and received capacity-building from the ESA on the use of Earth maintain a reliable forecasting system for coastal observation data, facilitated by the CSE. inundation from oceanographic or hydrological phenomena, supporting national and regional The CSE also manages the WACA component supported decision-making for coastal management. The by the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), which project will facilitate the development of efficient focuses on soft coastal protection solutions in three countries: and collaborative regional forecasting and warning Benin, Senegal and Togo. Nature-based solutions are being systems for coastal inundation based on robust tested at fragile sites such as the Grand Popo area (Benin), the science and observations. Langue de Barbarie (Saint-Louis, Senegal) and the Gbodjomé- Agbodranfo area (Togo). 40 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Building Capacity with the Africa Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) The World Bank and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have established the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), with the support A regional response of the Government of Ghana and the to marine plastics Association of African Universities (AAU) under the Africa Centres of Excellence Plastic pollution is a public health and food safety challenge in West Africa. Impact Project (ACE III). The intervention For example, plastics have caused a reduced fish catch in polluted coastal promotes coastal resilience within lagoons in the Gulf of Guinea,1 of concern as fish represent more than 50 West and Central Africa through the percent of the protein intake in countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone. An development of technical and scientific increased risk of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue is shown to expertise of young African professionals be linked to poor management of solid waste, including plastics. to develop integrated solutions to address The Africa region is the second-highest contributor to annual global coastal degradation across the subregion. plastics inputs from rivers into global oceans, with a share of 7.8 percent, ACECoR’s success hinges on a strong after Asia at 86 percent,2 and projections show that Africa could outstrip partnership with WACA as the activities of Asia as the major contributor to global mismanaged plastic waste the two institutions are complementary in generation by 2060.3 Three West African rivers are among the 20 most supporting the coastal resilience strategies polluted rivers in the world: the Cross River (Nigeria & Cameroon), the Imo of West African Governments. The two River (Nigeria), and the Kwa Ibo River (Nigeria).4 share a vision of creating a regional WACA draws upon its network for a collaborative approach to tackling network of academic and research this major challenge in sustainability, engaging both WAEMU and ABC institutions to promote long-term regional in the “West Africa Regional Response to Marine Plastics” process. It will capacity. Short professional courses and examine case-studies on different approaches, and support countries in modular masters, PhD and postdoctoral refining the action plans and meeting obligations that have been made programs are being introduced in thematic through regional mechanisms. research areas of coastal management; WACA also acts as a regional umbrella for the coordination of World coastal geomorphology and engineering; ; Bank initiatives addressing marine plastic pollution in coastal West Africa, climate change adaptation and mitigation; bringing together a series of ASA’s, primarily sponsored by PROBLUE. disaster risk management and migration; To prevent overlap and maximize synergy, WACA works across multiple and ecosystems and biodiversity. ACECoR Global Practices at the World Bank, including Urban Resilience and Lands serves on WACA’s interim Technical and (URL), Finance Competitiveness & Innovation (FCI) and Environment Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB). Advisory Committee (iTAC), contributing to scientific reviews and MSIPs, and Addressing marine plastic pollution requires interventions all along the working with IRD to support the plastic value chain, and at different stages of the plastic life cycle. A grant development of WACA’s compendium provided to the ENB team enables a regional plastic value chain analysis of good coastal management practices. supplemented by country case studies, and an economic analysis of plastic Through these platforms, WACA and pollution. The analysis is to be presented as a Flagship Report which will inform decision-makers in West Africa, as well as investment planning ACECoR are engaged in exploring underway by regional partners. opportunities like the creation of an incubation hub to support talented youth URL’s portfolio of projects to strengthen solid waste management systems with creative business ideas related to and reduce plastic and marine pollution across Africa include the Greater coastal resilience in Africa. Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (P164330), Senegal Municipal Solid Waste Management Project (PROMOGED, P161477) and 1 Scheren et al, 2002. the Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project (P168608). 2 Jambeck, et al. (2015). Marine pollution. Plastic FCI’s work with the private sector contributes learning on technologies for waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science (New York, N.Y.). 347. 768-771. 10.1126/science.1260352. the development of recycling and innovation in materials as alternatives 3 Lebreton, Laurent & Andrady, Anthony. (2019). to single-use plastics. The effort builds on the lessons learned from the Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation IFC’s policy interventions on plastics, which include the development of a and disposal. Palgrave Communications. circular economy in Côte d’Ivoire. 4 Lebreton, L. C. M. et al. River plastic emissions to the world’s oceans. Nat. Commun. 8, 15611 doi: 10.1038/ncomms15611 (2017). West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 41 Mobilizing a comprehensive approach from the World Bank Group As country governments strive to work across technical ministries, so too does the World Bank. WACA is supported by multiple Practice Groups including those working on environment and blue economy, social development, urban and waste management, transport and ports, climate change, disaster risk management, energy, finance, the private sector, and disruptive technology. The intent is to optimize the implementation of the necessary technical approaches and innovation from these practices that the Bank provides in support of the WACA Program. This includes leveraging the already significant portfolio of investment projects in every country, and analytical work. This section provides examples of initiatives and projects that support WACA’s comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to strengthening coastal resilience in West Africa. The projects described in this section are aligned with WACA’s development objective of reducing the exposure of coastal communities and households to erosion, flooding, and pollution. Senegal: Saint Louis Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project The Saint-Louis Emergency Recovery and Resilience project (SERRP) has the development objectives of reducing the vulnerability of populations to coastal hazards along the Langue de Barbarie, and strengthening urban and coastal West Africa. Photo: Nael Pictures / dreamstime.com resilience planning of the city of Saint- Louis. The project primarily finances temporary accommodation of families displaced by ongoing storm surge disasters, and the planned relocation of the most vulnerable populations (about 5,000 people) living within a 20-meter wide band of the shoreline in the high- risk coastal zone. It also provides for urban and coastal resilience planning through reclamation of the liberated area, technical studies and planning 42 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Sierra Leone. Photo: World Bank Group. 2017. Sierra Leone Rapid Damage and Loss Assessment of August 14th, 2017 Landslides and Floods in the Western Area. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28836 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. documents for urban and coastal risk the implementation of the livelihood stabilization, bridge and drainage management, and capacity building. restoration strategy for the displaced infrastructure rehabilitation, and water populations. At the national level, many infrastructure rehabilitation. It is also The Project has been active since sectors are involved in the management supporting capacity- building for disaster September 2018; as of May 2020, 692 of coastal areas, often with overlapping risk management and emergency people have been moved from the relief mandates, owing to lack of a coherent preparedness and response at the camp to the relocation site in Djougop, national and local levels. legal basis for coastal management. with temporary accommodation and The WACA Program is implementing improved living conditions. A second Looking ahead, the World Bank is a National Integrated Coastal Zone preparing a new investment project temporary relocation phase for 884 Management Plan for Senegal to help to build urban resilience in Greater additional people is planned by address this challenge. Freetown and across the country. The December 2020. Planning and design of the permanent relocation site is Sierra Leone: Freetown Emergency project will strengthen the institutional well underway, with the government Recovery Project capacity of city councils in resilient embarking on a thorough participatory In Sierra Leone, the World Bank has urban planning, and own-source process to engage beneficiaries in the been supporting Greater Freetown to revenue mobilization. It will also finance planning activities. Regarding urban build disaster and climate resilience, infrastructure investments, in urban and coastal resilience planning in Saint most notably following the Sugarloaf drainage, solid waste management, and Louis (Component 3), a study for mudslide of August 2017, through in the upgrading of poor and vulnerable the design a sustainable coastal risk neighborhoods. The project will have a the Damage and Loss Assessment and management solution along the Langue strong emphasis on eco-system-based associated recovery financing. approaches, including forest, mangrove de Barbarie is underway. The ongoing Freetown Emergency and wetland protection, and tree-growing The SERRP and the Senegal West Africa Recovery Project (FERP) has supported interventions. It will also build disaster Coastal Areas Management (WACA) interventions to rehabilitate landslide risk management and preparedness projects are closely collaborating on affected areas, through slope institutional capacity and capabilities. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 43 Côte d'Ivoire: Urban Resilience and Solid Waste Management Project Côte d'Ivoire’s $315 million Urban Resilience and Solid Waste Among the outcomes of the first marketplace Management Project was approved in June 2020. The project is aimed at improving the management of rainwater and was a commitment from one finance partner household waste to reduce the high flood and sanitary risks of $35 million for a project in Côte d'Ivoire, faced by poor urban households in mainly coastal areas. and design for a mechanism to bring in Dutch The first phase of implementation, with a budget of $37 million, will be devoted to the construction or rehabilitation of drainage expertise to West Africa. systems for better channeling of rainwater in the most exposed neighborhoods such as Yopougon and Abobo, the two most densely populated areas of Abidjan, as well as Grand Bassam. In addition, the project will set up a flood early warning system and strengthen the capacities of the institutions in charge of sanitation and urban planning, through training and equipment Coastal Voices: in dedicated digital technologies. activating the private sector Private Sector The WACA team partnered with the International Finance Simeon Ehui is the World Bank’s Regional Director Corporation (IFC) and Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions for Sustainable Development for Africa. Born and (EFI) to organize the first private sector dialogue in Ivory Coast in raised in Côte d'Ivoire, he is deeply attuned to the February 2019. The purpose of the event was to create a formal challenges faced by West Africa’s coastal regions. information framework, to encourage awareness, learning, the “I know all too well how coastal livelihoods and sharing of knowledge, and implementation of synergistic actions communities have been shattered by intense for improving the resilience of the area coastal adaptation and flooding, poorly built infrastructure, pollution from adaptation to climate change. untreated waste, and many other factors that could Participants made an inventory of private and public sectors be aggravated by climate change,” he says. actions for coastal resilience, and took stock of the impacts Tackling flooding and coastal erosion requires a of coastal erosion, floods and pollution on investments. mosaic of interventions. Agriculture, disaster risk During the event, awareness was raised of the obstacles and management, environment and water teams must constraints which slow down private sector investment in join forces to reduce risk, protect ecosystems, and coastal protection measures and climate change adaptation improve infrastructure in order to build resilient infrastructure. This had the effect of encouraging private livelihoods. This means mobilizing the financing sector involvement in concerted actions such as the WACA and expertise needed to support countries in Program. Frameworks were developed for partnerships these efforts. between private sector and state actors around integrated “At the (WACA) Marketplace in Abidjan, which coastal zone management. Experience and good practices brought together countries, donors and the private were shared, and sustainable investment options discussed. sector to find solutions to coastal issues, it was Finally, the parties reached agreement on next steps for the heartening to see the private sector and financiers implementation of solutions, including the creation of a listen to countries pitch projects on coastal resilience working group comprising representatives of the public and and express their willingness to invest in these private sectors. projects,” says Ehui. As a result of the dialogue, WACA established a private sector The Marketplace is an innovative way to move from consultative group that has been providing guidance and concepts to investment-ready projects that can be matched with interest from the public and private feedback to the WACA Platform and Program. This group sector. At the inaugural Marketplace, countries has assisted in the submission of projects to improve the supported by the WACA Program identified priority resilience of the coastal zone. Among the outcomes of the investments for coastal resilience and kickstarted a first marketplace was a commitment from one finance partner dialogue with financial and technical partners. of $35 million for a project in Côte d'Ivoire, and design for a mechanism to bring in Dutch expertise to West Africa. “I am energized to see the private sector ready to play its part and support a sustainable and The next marketplace (at the end of 2020), was dedicated prosperous Africa,” Ehui concludes. to private sector projects, public-private-partnerships, and innovative project ideas in the port sector. 44 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES World Bank Trust Fund Programs Nordic Development Fund: The We need to find new ways to Nordic Development Fund (NDF) is a Since 2018, GFDRR and NDF ensure the resilience of West joint Nordic finance institution focused exclusively on climate change and have provided programmatic Africa’s coasts. The key to success remains the same: we need to development in low-income (LIC) and support for the design, lower middle-income countries (LMIC). deliver complete projects. Without In April 2020, NDF adopted a new launch and operation of the building sea defenses, restoring mangroves, and bringing strategy to advance Nordic leadership WACA Platform. in addressing climate change and solutions, the livelihoods of development challenges through coastal populations will not financing, knowledge, and partnerships. providing technical assistance grants for be protected.” preliminary analytical work prior to the In 2015, the NDF was the first external launch of the WACA Program. Since Coralie Gevers donor to support the idea of the West 2018, GFDRR has provided programmatic Country Director, World Bank Africa Coastal Areas Program (WACA) support for the design, launch and with a small initial grant to the World operation of the WACA Platform. Bank and the West Africa Economic GFDRR grants also support the Finance and Monetary Union (WAEMU). As the Marketplace; analytical work on the links program gained strength and further between climate and coastal migration; support with the World Bank IDA and the development of a compendium of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a solutions for common coastal erosion, new NDF-funded program was approved flooding, and pollution challenges; What is the role of in 2018, providing a €4.0 million loan to and the ongoing development of regional institutions? Benin, a €4.0 million loan to Senegal and a WACA’s Local Action and Community €5.1 million grant to the World Bank for a Engagement (LACE) initiative. five-year project period from 2018 – 2023, for a total of €13.1 million. GFDRR support continues through its Japan program, which supports country Regional institutions are NDF is providing finance to the Bank- engagements in Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, mandated by countries to executed part of the WACA Platform, and Nigeria to identify investment harmonize and advance policy supporting the generation of new studies priorities for resilient infrastructure. for coastal resilience. The and access to solutions, developing and World Bank provides financing PROBLUE: The World Bank’s Blue testing new financing instruments such or analytical services to support Economy Program, PROBLUE, is a Multi- as PPP’s, and supporting partnerships these regional activities. Donor Trust Fund, housed at the World with regional institutions, countries Bank, that supports the development and others needed to bring the WACA of integrated, sustainable and healthy Program to scale. In parallel, and in direct marine and coastal resources. With liaison with the countries, it is providing the Blue Economy Action Plan as its loans to Senegal and Benin. foundation, PROBLUE contributes to Are local communities GFDRR: Managed by the World Bank, the implementation of Sustainable involved in the WACA GFDRR is a grant-funding mechanism Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) and is Program? that helps developing countries fully aligned with the World Bank’s twin better understand and reduce their goals of ending extreme poverty and vulnerability to natural hazards and increasing the income and welfare of The Program is centered on the climate change. GFDRR supports local, the poor in a sustainable way. needs of coastal communities, national, regional, and international PROBLUE supports the coastal agenda which are engaged on a partners with knowledge, funding, by providing grants to project teams to site-specific basis. The program and technical assistance for disaster deepen and leverage results in sustainable is enhancing its partnership risk management (DRM), contributing fisheries, marine pollution including litter with communities and civil to the implementation of the Sendai and plastics, the sustainable development society through the Local Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. of key oceanic sectors such as tourism, Action and Citizen Engagement GFDRR was one of the earliest supporters maritime transport and off-shore renewable (LACE) Initiative. of the World Bank’s engagement energy. It supports building government on coastal resilience in West Africa, capacity for the integrated management West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 45 of marine resources, including nature-based infrastructure such and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) to promote as mangroves, to deliver more and longer-lasting benefits to sustainable development by ensuring that natural resources are countries and communities. WACA has leveraged resources from mainstreamed in development planning and national economic PROBLUE via several initiatives, including (i) West Africa Regional accounts. Under GPS, resources have been provided to Response to Plastics (environment sector), (ii) Sustainable Ports WACA to undertake studies on mangroves and nature-based Charter working with AGPAOC (transport sector), (iii) sustainable solutions, and for establishing the cost of coastal degradation tourism for SIDS in Cabo Verde and The Gambia, (iv) urban waste in four coastal states of Nigeria. and pollution management in Sierra Leona (urban sector); and Korea - World Bank Group Partnership Facility (KWPF): (v) nature-based solutions and mangroves (environment sector). The KWPF is an initiative aimed at strengthening ties between Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII): The World Bank Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MoEF) and the World Group and the government of Japan established the Quality Bank. The facility assists developing countries in achieving Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership with the objective inclusive and sustainable economic growth and fostering of raising awareness and scaling-up attention to the quality broader dialogue on economic development issues. The Facility, dimensions of infrastructure in developing countries. These along with the NDF, provided resources to develop a climate include maximizing the positive impact of infrastructure, change and coastal resilience assessment that suggests that improving economic efficiency as measured against life-cycle by 2050, climate change will worsen the extent of floods cost, integrating environmental and social considerations, and erosion on West Africa’s coast, and explains the need for building resilience against natural disasters, and strengthening climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster risk management plans, infrastructure governance. The QII Partnership accomplishes and nature-based solutions for protection of coastal livelihoods. this through financial support for project preparation and Climate NDC Support Facility: The Nationally Determined implementation, as well as knowledge dissemination. The QII Contributions Support Facility (NDC-SF) is a multi-donor trust Partnership aligns to the G20 Principles. fund created to facilitate the implementation of the Nationally QII, along with the NDF, is supporting the WACA Call for Determined Contributions (NDC) pledged by countries under Innovation which seeks innovation for specific, complex the Paris Agreement in 2015. The NDC Support Facility, along transport and navigation issues, including port infrastructure with NDF, provided financing for São Tomé and Príncipe to and lagoon or canal water flow management. The results of develop an online platform (DRClima) to harmonize and share the Call will identify infrastructure and financing mechanisms data and information on climate impacts, to train key actors on for port management of sediment movements which lead its use, and to develop concepts for three adaptation projects to unwanted coastal erosion, upstream efforts to reduce which were presented at the Marketplace. In Côte d’Ivoire, the NDC-SF contributed to the preparation of the pre-feasibility environmental impacts, features of Public Private Partnerships study for a coastal protection program in Port-Bouet, and (PPP) and contracting, and examples of good global practices provided funding alongside NDF for the preparation of the first in port management that could be proposed to West African regional WACA private sector dialogue, aimed at engaging countries to better manage the cumulative environmental private sector participation in coastal adaptation. The dialogue impact of port operations. informed the ongoing development of a pipeline of PPP Global Program for Sustainability (GPS) and WAVES: GPS, projects suitable for private sector participation, and a concept a World Bank umbrella initiative, includes Wealth Accounting for an infrastructure and private sector facilitation fund. Mauritania. Photo: LenDog64! / flickr.com 46 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 3. REACHING RESILIENCE TARGETS Overview of WACA Two years into implementation, all country projects and the regional arrangement will be replicated with the RAMPAO (Network of West Africa’s ResIP results integration and support mechanism are Network of Protected Areas). well into implementation. Key studies for the final designs of the The national Project Implementation Units major physical work, the social sub-projects (PIUs) are harmonizing annual work plans, and the setting up or strengthening of have adopted both regional reporting the national agencies responsible for procedures and support mechanisms with coastal management activities are now, the regional institutions, and have agreed for the most part, on-going, and should to the regional integration performance enable the project to start physical tracking system. The organizational interventions in the different countries effectiveness of the PIU is improving by early 2021, COVID-19 permitting. and challenges are being addressed The national project Implementation through capacity building and the support Units are assessing progress and Response to COVID-19: With the provided by RISU and the Bank team. challenges on a monthly basis. support of the Bank and the RISU, contingency plans have been Regional Integration is working: the In FY20 WACA ResIP provided support prepared by the PIUs to assess the arrangement by which IUCN manages for a team-based effort in updating the impact of the global and national a Regional Implementation Support five-year plan and the annual workplan. restrictions on project activities Unit (RISU) and WAEMU manages a ResIP also supported the transition from and identify mitigation measures. Regional Management Unit (RMU) which a top-down management style to a Most of the technical studies can is functioning well, and efforts have results-based and team-based dynamic continue, as work is performed mainly been undertaken to improve timeliness in the respective PIUs. Going forward, in remotely, but consultations with and reduce bureaucratic burdens. The collaboration with other specialists, the targeted communities, especially for arrangement is ensuring effective regional IDS will support external stakeholders social sub-projects, will need to be coordination and integration across engaged in implementing WACA ResIP put on hold until normal operations country activities. Monthly reports are now activities. It will help establish and are possible. In the meantime, World submitted by the national PIUs which are activate networks, such as the Mayors Bank teams and regional partners will now receiving, additional technical advice Network in Ivory Coast, and inter-agency continue to provide implementation through the RISU on coastal protection coordination committees for coastal support through regular virtual infrastructures and the integrated coastal management or coalitions, such as meetings and missions. management plan from Cerema. This public-private sector collaboration. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 47 WACA supports institutional When I was a child, our family compound was hundreds of meters development aimed at from the beach. Because of the narrowness of the houses, the beach was a place of relaxation for the old people, playground engaging other related ministries for children and places for some family ceremonies. Our life was and agencies. peaceful until 1960, the year when the impacts of coastal erosion began to be felt and to disrupt our daily habits.” El Hadji Malick Ndoye Thiawlène Digue, Senegal Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 48 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES COUNTRY RESULTS: B U R KI N A FA S O BENIN Benin’s coastline has around 10.9 million inhabitants, half of whom live in urban centers, mainly in the coastal municipalities N IG E RI A TO G O of the Nok ’Grand Nokoué’ ’including Cotonou (the economic capital), Porto Novo (the administrative capital), Abomey- BENIN Calavi and Sèmè-Podji. The coastal zone is characterized GHANA by lagoons and other wetlands, and has one of the highest rates of coastal erosion in the world, with the peripheral zones particularly affected. Rising sea levels and the increased Por to-Novo frequency and intensity of extreme events are expected to increase erosion and flooding, which could reach 12 to 30 meters per year in certain critical areas. The WACA-Benin project is aimed at reversing the country's current trends of coastal erosion and the degradation of Coastline: coastal ecosystems and strengthening the resilience of communities and targeted areas including Hillacondji, 125 km Gbèkon, Avlo and Ouidah. The project supports Benin’s national objectives; a set of key international water-related objectives; and commitments made by Benin within the Coastal framework of international conventions on the management population: of climate change, biodiversity and the protection of natural resources. It achieves this through activities focused on 10.9 million the restoration of mangroves; the adoption of alternative livelihoods; the control of invasive species; and support for the implementation of management plans for community Major protected areas and for the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance as identified coastal cities: by the Ramsar Convention. Cotonou Erosion control measures and protection works have been undertaken on the south bank of the Mono River, with the Porto-Novo nourishment of the berms to slow the impacts of flooding and coastal erosion. The south shore at Gbêkon in the Avlo district Abomey-Calavi has been protected against erosion through reforestation, which has prevented the destruction of the only road Seme-Podji connecting a community of 25,500 to economic livelihoods and public health services. Co-financing agreements have been signed with 33 Biodiversity Community Conservation Areas cooperatives (75 percent of whose members are women) for West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 49 Benin. Photo: Mark Fischer / flickr.com Income Generating Activities in the fields of animal husbandry, aquaculture, gardening, and agri-food processing. Co-financing agreements In addition, the process of protecting the Togo-Benin cross-border area have been signed with from coastal erosion is underway, with 33 Biodiversity Community technical feasibility studies for coastal protection currently in progress. Conservation Areas cooperatives for Income Response to COVID-19: To mitigate Generating Activities in the Benin. Photo: Arne Hoel / World Bank against the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population, IGAs fields of animal husbandry, were extended to communities aquaculture, gardening, and economically impacted by the pandemic. In addition, a contingency agri-food processing. plan was prepared that included the implementation of individual and collective protection measures. 50 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES MALI B U R KI N A FA S O COUNTRY RESULTS: GU I N E A CÔTE D'IVOIRE CÔTE D’IVOIRE Côte d’Ivoire has about 550 km of coastline, home to more than 35 percent of the national population, and to major G HA NA socio-economic assets: the coastal zone produces around 60 percent of the real GDP, in an area which represent less than Yamou s s ou kro 7 percent of the territory. Around two third of this coastline is either exposed or highly exposed to the effects of erosion LIBERIA and risk of storm surges, due to the natural action of the Gulf of Guinea currents that create important longshore Abidjan sediment transport. Erosion trends have been aggravated in recent decades by human interventions (for example, sand mining; the construction or expansion of ports; deforestation of mangroves and other trees for fuel or agricultural land clearance; urban and tourist development; or changes in the Coastline: hydrographic regimes of rivers due to dams, disrupting the flow of sediment). In addition, extreme natural events have 556 km also had an impact. Côte d’Ivoire has various policy documents relating to Coastal environmental management and climate change adaptation, but to make existing and future development in the coastal population: areas more resilient, a stronger multisectoral coordination framework and a comprehension coastal master plan are 8.2 million necessary. Accordingly, a Multisectoral Investment Plan was developed for the Grand Lahou area as a pilot, and resilience projects are now under implementation. The MSIP needs to be Major expanded to other areas, and risk-informed spatial planning integrated in national and local development plans. The coastal cities: WACA ResIP is contributing towards this objective, through Abidjan support to the preparation and implementation of the 2 main instruments from a newly approved coastal law; the creation San Pedro and operationalization of the national agency for the integrated coastal zone management (ANAGIL); and the preparation of Grand-Bassam the coastal master plan (PAGLI). The decree of the ANAGIL has been enacted and is pending final signature while the scope of work for the PAGLI has been agreed and enaction is expected to start in fall 2020. In addition, a network of mayors of coastal municipalities has been established, to promote awareness and coordinate local actions. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 51 The coastal zone produces around 60 percent of the real GDP, in an area which represent less than 7 percent of the territory. Côte d’Ivoire. Photo: Charles O. Cecil / alamy.com Côte d’Ivoire. Photo: Westend61 / alamy.com Through physical investments, the banks construction should start in 2021. In informing beneficiaries, without putting of the Tiagba lagoon will be stabilized parallel, mangrove conditions have been anyone at risk. Priorities have been by reforestation and rehabilitation of assessed there, as well as in the two given to social sub-projects to achieve mangroves. Technical studies for physical national parks of Azagny and des îles the objectives on natural resources investments are being finalized for the Éhotilé, and restoration and management while contributing to the project site in Grand-Lahou, one of the management plans, have been socio-economic recovery process. five national coastal hot spots, where prepared, to be implemented through interventions will be implemented to the Office Ivoirien des Parcs et des Réserves (OIPR). Natural resources Response to COVID-19: The PIU has manage the movement of the river management efforts will also be prepared and adopted a contingency mouth to prevent lateral and frontal supported through social sub-projects plan. Measures have been taken coastal erosion of the sand bar of to strengthen social resilience of the to protect staff and partners from Grand-Lahou. The project is most vulnerable population of Grand- exposure to the virus and to ensure implemented through the ministry of Lahou sub-region. continuation (as much as possible) of Environment and Sustainable works and activities, despite Abidjan’s Development. Numerical modelling is WACA also collaborated with established, isolation from project intervention sites being used to validate the appropriate, local committees in Grand-Lahou to and the difficulty of physical meetings. long-lasting adaptation options for the support them in continuing to play their sand pits of Lahou-Kpanda, where roles in collecting potential grievances and 52 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES M O RO CCO A LG E RI A COUNTRY RESULTS: We s t e r n S a ha r a MAURITANIA Mauritania’s coastline possesses significant economic and ecological value. Despite its low population density, the MALI coastline hosts major economic poles, including hydrocarbon M A U R I TA N I A and other extractive operations, fishing activities, and the two national parks - Diawling in the south and Banc d’Arguin in Nou akc h ott the north. Mauritania is known for its abundant fish resources thanks to an exceptional coastal ecosystem. Urbanization and industrialization are intensifying, and the “coastal poles” – the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou - continue to grow S E N EG A L rapidly. Over the past 30 years, climate events and human activities, including oil and gas exploration and exploitation, have impacted the productivity and health of Mauritania’s low-lying coastal ecosystems, particularly in the south. Coastline: Sand dunes have become more fragile, leading to coastal erosion and flooding, and poor management has led to 754 km contamination by urban waste and effluents. Climate change challenges are a real threat, and the capital Nouakchott is vulnerable to various risks including dune ruptures, flooding Coastal caused by abundant rains, inadequate drainage, high water table, and marine submersion. population: The Mauritania Coastal Master Plan (PDALM), drawn up in 3 million 2005, was the first document to address sustainable coastal development from a national perspective. The PDALM was followed in 2007 by the promulgation of a coastal decree Major (“Ordonnance du littoral”) and was updated in 2017. Together with the first multi-sectoral coastal investment plan (MSIP), coastal cities: it supports the design of climate smart coastal investment projects in Mauritania. Nouakchott Some of the priority interventions from the PDALM are being Nouadhibou implemented through WACA ResIP activities in Mauritania. These activities include providing guidance and strengthening multisectoral collaboration, and strengthening the legal framework including through the revision of the coastal law, to prevent further construction in the coastal areas. The impacts of activities such as mining are being assessed and environmental laws revised accordingly, to minimize the impacts of the growing pressures on coastal areas. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 53 Mauritania. Photo: World Bank Mauritania. Photo: World Bank Local land-use plans are being prepared and restore natural ecosystems by for the two major growth poles, to fighting invasive species including In Mauritania WACA has align the different sector strategies and Typha, to maintain fishing as a source of livelihoods for the population, while completed mechanical to preserve spaces for crucial nature- based interventions. For example, while preserving local and rich biodiversity. and biological fixation of Nouakchott’s dunes provide the protection more than 30 hectares of of a natural barrier, they are becoming Response to COVID-19: The PIU fragile because of human activities; modified their working arrangement the coastal dunes and will WACA has already completed mechanical to adapt to the isolation of the restore weak sections of the and biological fixation of more than capital and the restrictions on office 30 hectares of the coastal dunes and attendance, and office rotation has dunes systems in 2021. will restore weak sections of the dunes been implemented to ensure the systems in 2021. continuity of critical tasks. Activities have been reshaped to promote In addition, the project has been remote, virtual contacts. working with the National Park of Diawling to develop a resilience plan 54 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES CA M E RO O N COUNTRY RESULTS: San to An tón io SÃO TOMÉ AND SÃO TOMÉ EQ UATO RI A L G UI NE A PRÍNCIPE AND PRÍNCIPE Isolated, exposed to hazards, and with limited institutional São Tomé capacities, the small island country of São Tomé and Príncipe faces unique challenges in protecting its coastal zones and the population living there. Coastal areas are being affected by both climate change and anthropogenic drivers. Sea level rise and G A BO N increasing intensity of rainfall, combined with poor coastal zone management, the degradation of coastal ecosystems and rapid and uncontrolled urbanization are increasing flood and erosion risks for human settlement and infrastructure along the coast. One objective of the WACA Project in São Tomé and Príncipe Coastline: is to reduce the exposure of vulnerable coastal communities and cities to extreme events related to climate change by 209 km promoting urban expansion in safer areas, while diversifying income-generating activities linked to the sustainable use of natural resources. It comprises four approaches: Coastal • supporting urban planning while taking existing risks into account; population: • planned relocation to safer areas; 202 000 • reducing risks through ecosystem- based approaches; and • piloting the use of sustainable building materials produced Major by local residents as an income-generating activity and to reduce illegal sand use. coastal cities: Through the WACA ResIP project and using a model-based São Tomé participatory process, twelve of the country’s most vulnerable coastal communities have developed and are implementing Neves adaptation strategies specific to their needs. The impacts of flooding and erosion on households in the first four pilot sites have been mitigated with a combination of better land use planning, the construction of green and grey infrastructure, and tree planting to stabilize the shoreline, approaches which will now be replicated in the other eight other communities. All 12 communities have endorsed the adaptation strategies, urban plans have been formally approved in three West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 55 Patrols by trained volunteers are operated through local risk committees in all the 31 coastal communities to provide early warning of disasters, identify risks of flooding and landslides, raise awareness, and conduct maintenance on infrastructure. São Tomé and Príncipe. Photo: Bas Idsinga / Shutterstock.com São Tomé and Príncipe. Photo: Cristiano Dondo communities, and infrastructure has at sea. A diagnostic of the capacity of support to the most vulnerable been built or restored in five. the national meteorological institute parts of the population during the has been concluded, establishing the COVID-19 crisis. The ministry of Under the WACA project in São Tomé and basis for the marine meteorological health is using the 31 coastal risk Príncipe, patrols by trained volunteers are weather forecast service to issue more local committees, supported by operated through local risk committees reliable early warnings to fishermen and WACA, to disseminate guidance in all the 31 coastal communities to coastal populations. Laws and regulatory and raise awareness, as these provide early warning of disasters, identify frameworks will also be reviewed to committees are both recognized and risks of flooding and landslides, raise reduce overlap and facilitate enforcement, operational. In addition, through awareness, and conduct maintenance on while taking into consideration the the social sub-project components, infrastructure. This helps to make coastal inclusion of climate change and coastal the WACA Project was able to villages more secure, and reduces the disaster risks in various policies and master support cooperatives of women probability of deaths. plans, including through the preparation in sewing protective masks, under The project also completed the first of a spatial marine plan. the supervision of the Health ever national census of artisanal Ministry, to build the resilience fishermen and boats to define the Response to COVID-19: WACA’s of the population, particularly equipment and trainings necessary ongoing commitment has proved women, through alternative income for future project activities on safety effective in providing the needed generation and skills building. 56 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Coastal Voices: when resilience means making a new home Along the beach in Mondouku, in partnership with the West Côte d'Ivoire, a group of fishermen Africa coastal countries to have just returned with their ensure that relocation is a pro- catch. Many of them come from poor, people-centered process neighboring Ghana; they come in which communities drive the to the Ivorian part of the coast decision making. It promotes because there are more fish here. a clear understanding of the But the fish are smaller in size and social risk involved, in addition to number compared to previous transparency and accountability to years. The beach they are sitting stakeholders. Rather than provide on is lined with small hotels and prescriptive instructions, the cabanas destroyed in a storm framework will walk government surges over the past few years. and other stakeholders through A little further south, near the Vridi the inputs they will need to make Canal, Conde Abdoulaye runs the the decision, the questions to lobster restaurant that his father consider regarding who needs ran before him. Even at low tide, to be involved, and how to the water laps against the steps asses and identify the resources of the restaurant and a retaining needed. From there, it will develop wall which he has rebuilt numerous guidance around different potential times. He says he knows it is pathways, including adapting in inevitable that at some point the situ; encouraging self-relocation sea will swallow his restaurant, and through the creation of positive he will have to leave. He believes “pull” factors; or initiating a full that changing weather patterns relocation program. and increasing storms have Sociologist Olivio Diogo works contributed to the damage. with the government of São Tomé In many communities along the and Príncipe to build trust with West African coast, it is becoming pilot communities to ensure their increasingly dangerous, and in continuous participation. “We are some cases impossible, to live close talking about cultures, livelihoods, to the sea, because the beach is huge amounts of financing,” disappearing at an alarming rate. he explains. “So there are no There is a growing recognition that solutions, only trade-offs, with the impacts of climate change will winners and losers." force some people to move and Côte d’Ivoire. Photo: Tommy Trenchard / alamy.com The stakes are indeed high, construct new communities and and it is essential that WACA’s lives. Yet there are only a small interventions are effective. handful of cases getting underway Facilitating an open dialogue on around the world where entire the tradeoffs and ensuring that communities are being relocated communities drive the process in on a voluntary basis to adapt to partnership with government is environmental and climate change. imperative to ensuring inclusive, The WACA voluntary relocation resilient development in which framework is being developed people not only survive, but thrive. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 57 58 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES COUNTRY RESULTS: M AURI TA NI A SENEGAL SENEGAL Dakar Senegal has 718 km of coastal zone and 198 000 km2 of MALI maritime area, comprising various ecosystems, including sandy and rocky coastline and islands, wetlands, and mangroves, inter alia. This coastal zone is home to 52 percent of the population and hosts a range of economic activities such as fishing, tourism and market gardening - 70 percent of vegetables consumed in the country are G U I N E A- B I S S AU produced in the Niayes region in the north. 90 percent G U INE A of industrial establishments are located in the coastal zone, which contributes 68 percent of GDP. This critically important area is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change including erosion, flooding and the salinization of water and soil, and is undergoing rapid urbanization. Coastline: The main objective of the WACA Senegal program is to strengthen the resilience of targeted communities and areas 718 km on the Senegalese coast. To strengthen policy and institutional framework, the PIU Coastal signed an agreement with Gaston Berger University of Saint- Louis, to support the enrollment of Senegalese students in population: the GAED Masters course on strengthening national capacity to manage the impacts of extractive activities. It is expected 7.8 million that the contract for the National Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan and the feasibility of creating the National Agency for Integrated Coastal Management will be Major signed by the end of October 2020. A contract for technical assistance is expected to be signed by the end of November coastal cities: 2020, covering: Dakar • strengthening and extending the existing early warning system within the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Saint-Louis Meteorology to also cover maritime phenomena; and Rufisque • operationalizing the existing Geographic Information System (GIS) in the Directorate of Environment to monitor Mbour the coastline and support the implementation of the ICZM Plan. The PIUs of Senegal and Mauritania are working to establish a bilateral committee for cross-border coastal erosion control activities. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 59 This critically important area is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change including erosion, flooding and the salinization of water and soil, and is undergoing rapid urbanization. Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank In support of physical investments, an of the project. A national coordinator, pilot project funded by the World action plan for the regeneration of working full time on the project, has been Bank and the Nordic Development ecosystems until 2023 in the Langue onboard since April 2020. The staff of Fund, has provided support for de Barbarie National Park and the Saint the Environment Directorate working on coastal communities cope with Louis protected marine area has been the project now spends 100 percent of the pandemic. The weekly show, developed. Reforestation work was their time on the project, instead of the broadcast on national radio, has built set to begin with the start of the rainy previous 15 percent. an excellent relationship with fishers season in August 2020. A contract for and coastal communities who asked studies of erosion protection works on for the Radio’s help in understanding Response to COVID-19: The risk historic Gorée Island, a UNESCO World and preparing for COVID-19. The assessment for the COVID-19 Heritage site, and on the corniches east Radio du Littoral organized shows pandemic show that most of the and west of Dakar is expected to be on the pandemic and on how it project’s activities are affected; they signed by the end of September 2020. affects fishing activities; and raised will thus be postponed to the third As the disbursement rate and the extent quarter and some will likely be funds to purchase cleaning supplies of technical execution remained very low rescheduled for 2021. The PIU has distributed to 21 fishing piers along after two years of project implementation, endorsed the use of ICT during this Senegal’s coast in collaboration with the Minister of Environment has taken health crisis to ensure the continuity the fisheries ministry and the council steps to accelerate the implementation of the work. Radio du Littoral, a of artisanal fishers. 60 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 61 Partnering for impact In Senegal, the WACA project and the Saint- Louis Emergency Recovery Project (SERRP) are together implementing livelihood restoration activities for fishing communities affected West Africa’s coast is already at a by coastal erosion while opening up social tipping point and the new risks dialogue on resilience. The first people to brought by climate change can be benefit from livelihood restoration activities catastrophic for coastal communities, were those who had already lost their homes their health, and their livelihoods. and were living in precarious conditions, WACA provides decisionmakers with having been temporary relocated by SERRP. tangible information to support long These livelihood restoration activities will now term sustainability.” be extended to the most vulnerable fishing Maria Sarraf communities, comprising about 5,000 people Practice Manager, World Bank in the high-risk coastal zone, who will be relocated by the SERRP. The first livelihood restoration activity is the creation of a community purchasing center, in response to the needs expressed by the group of disaster women temporarily relocated in the Diougop site. The objectives are to: • restore the sources of income of the women heads of households affected; • generate economic micro-activities around the community commercial unit, with the Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank participation of retail distributors; • improve the purchasing power of relocated families and neighboring communities; and • reduce housework by saving time spent on ensuring the daily supply of food. Other sub-projects are under development to improve the artisanal processing of seafood and the conservation of fishery products. Senegal. Photo: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 62 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES B U R KI N A FA S O COUNTRY RESULTS: BENIN TOGO Togo has a coastline of 56 km, home to almost 36 percent of the population, and with a concentration of major economic NI G E RI A activities and urban areas. The coastal area faces a high rate GHANA TOGO of coastal erosion, reaching 20m per year in some critical places. Population growth with its associated anthropogenic stressors has imposed enormous pressure on coastal resources, and this exacerbates flooding, increases erosion, and causes pollution, all of which pose immediate and long- Lomé term risks to livelihoods, assets and natural resources. Sea- level rise is another major challenge. Activities that WACA ResIP is implementing in Togo include: • coastal protection against erosion on almost 18 km of Coastline: coastline, from Agbodrafo to Aného; 56 km • flood and pollution management, through coastal lakes and lagoon dredging and waste treatment; • sustainable land and forest management, biodiversity Coastal protection and climate change activities via mangroves population: restoration, and community-based activities from existing forest management plans; 2.9 million • strengthening the political, legal and institutional frameworks for integrated coastal management; and Major • improving data collection and early warning system via implementation of a coastal observatory. coastal cities: Coastal protection activities are shared between Togo and Lomé Benin and will be conducted together by the two countries. To facilitate the procurements necessary for cross-border Aneho activities, a Togo-Benin joint committee was set up and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in September 2018 between the Ministers in charge of Environment and Economy and Finance of the two countries. The technical feasibility study for coastal protection between Togo and Benin is ongoing. The next phase, requiring the collection of data on the ground in Togo and Benin has been West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 63 Togo. Photo: Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma'aji / unsplash.com suspended because of measures against and Agbodrafo, with installation of COVID-19. The recruitment process to juxtaposed well-type structures, to hire a consultant for dredging of the The financing agreements for facilitate the accumulation of sand, Gbaga channel is ongoing. while providing a physical barrier to 11 community sub-projects protect the coast against wave action. To date, the financing agreements for 11 community sub-projects have been signed, have been signed, and the and the activities associated with these activities associated with these Response to COVID-19: A contingency sub-projects were officially launched in plan has been developed to provide December 2019. Similarly, business plans sub-projects were officially for barrier measures in the execution have been prepared for seven income- launched in December 2019. of all project activities; equipping generating activities (IGA) sub-projects. the meeting rooms of the MEDDPN The cautious start-up of project activities and the PIU of WACA for remote has kept the disbursement rate low, but As coastal protection activities between conferencing; and expediting the the implementation rate is increasing, with Togo and Benin can start only around execution of community activities. social sub-project and coastal protection the middle of 2021, an urgent action components expected to start in March plan is needed for the protection of 2021, COVID-19 permitting. about 1,500 meters between Gbodjome 64 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Gorée Island. Photo: Madjiguene Seck, World Bank Overview of WACA making tool that provides tried and tested solutions to the complex Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Platform results development challenges of coastal Heritage site is deteriorating Since the inception of its design process erosion, flooding, and pollution. in 2018, the WACA Platform has made because of coastal erosion. • Technical Advisory Committee: An significant progress in developing We do not have the means to knowledge, leveraging investment interim Technical Advisory Committee rehabilitate the island and we financing, and facilitating regional (iTAC), consisting primarily of are extremely hopeful that it is technical and political dialogue on regional scientists, was established included in WACA’s interventions’ strengthening coastal resilience. and operated for a period of one areas. Gorée is our heritage and year to provide technical advice and Knowledge Pillar Results: expertise to the World Bank and we cannot let is disappear.” • Establishment of the Africa Center of WACA countries, and to support Annie Jouga Excellence for Coastal Resilience: The the identification of a long-term Deputy Mayor of Gorée Island WACA Platform leveraged financing mechanism for managing, cultivating, to establish the ACECoR at the and advancing knowledge on coastal University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The resilience in the region. In its year How do you tap local, ACECoR promotes coastal resilience of operation, the iTAC developed regional and in West and Central Africa through a harmonized methodology for international expertise? the development of technical and MSIPs, conducted scientific reviews scientific expertise of young African of key WACA analytical work, and professionals to develop integrated conceptualized a long-term vision solutions to address coastal for knowledge management and WACA is establishing a degradation across the subregion. development for the region. Based Helpdesk that connects to • Development of a Compendium on the iTAC experience, the WACA international expertise in of Solutions: In partnership with Platform will establish a West Africa West Africa, France, IRD and the ACECoR, the WACA Hub for knowledge management and Japan, Netherlands and Platform supported the development scientific advice, to be anchored in a Nordic countries. of a Compendium of Solutions, regional academic institution as part giving policy-makers a decision- of the transition of WACA functions. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 65 • WACA Hubs for Scientific and Technical Expertise: The conceptual design of WACA called for a “technical advisory committee”; from 2019-2020, an interim version of this Given the vast technical areas needing special committee (iTAC) operated on specific tasks relevant to advancing WACA. Given the vast technical areas needing advice, WACA is establishing a Helpdesk that special advice, WACA is establishing a Helpdesk that facilitates access to international expertise facilitates access to international expertise and resources in participating WACA Hubs. Building on the successful and resources in participating WACA Hubs. example of France, where Cerema acted as facilitator (and co-financer) to French expertise, this model expanded in 2020 to Japan (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, in the interim), the Netherlands (Netherland Water Partnership), Nordic countries (Nordic Development Fund, in the interim), and in West Africa (proposed University of Cape Coast, Ghana). The engagement with the Netherlands has been formalized through a joint MoU, Lessons learned and discussions are ongoing with other partner country focal points. Two years after Program launch, lessons are emerging from WACA operations, to be integrated Finance Pillar Results: into future projects as the Program extends its reach The WACA Finance Marketplace: Designed as the from the original six countries to the rest of the mechanism that introduces project ideas for financing, the West Africa coastal region. first Marketplace was held in November 2019 in Abidjan, Two fundamental design features of WACA have Côte d’Ivoire, convening financial partners and WACA received support from countries and partners country representatives to catalyze the investment process. alike. The first of these is the combination of a Project concepts pitched at the Marketplace were based regionally-integrated portfolio of projects that offer on comprehensive analyses of national investment plans economies of scale, and the scale-up platform and strategies from national Multi-Sector Investment Plans that facilitates access to knowledge, accelerates (MSIPs) and the Strategic Regional Action Investment finance, and deepens dialogue. The second is the Plan (SRAIP). The task team, with client counterparts from execution of the WACA at the national level with ministries of finance and environment, triage the concepts country-led operations, at the regional level with using a Finance Decision-Tree to identify which financing existing mandated institutions doing their part, and instrument is most suitable. internationally by the World Bank and partners in Subsequent Marketplaces will incorporate investment support of the program. needs that are suitable for PPPs, as well as regional and The Marketplace approach has also proved popular, transboundary investment needs. as it is linked directly to Multi-Sector Investment Dialogue Results: Plans (MSIP/PIMS), from which governments selected priorities that they pitched to a group of technical • WACA Communique: At the launch of the WACA Program and financial partners. The approach was welcomed in October 2018, thirteen countries jointly developed and by financing partners and donors, all looking signed onto the WACA Communique, promoting three forward to refining the approach and engaging key approaches to strengthening coastal resilience in their more frequently on financing opportunities. countries and across the region: On regional institutions and integration, the take- • Regional integration, working via regional economic away from the operation of the West Africa Coastal commissions (WAEMU and ECOWAS), the Abidjan Observatory is that it has proven effective to have Convention and its protocols, and the pursuit of a regional one coordinating institution working with a network observatory for coastal resilience continuing the work by of countries and partners to deliver key functions. the Centre de Suivi Ecologique. The Observatory has mobilized data, developed • National scale-up, through expanding scope of investments in analytical applications, used technology to develop current countries and expanding it to other countries on the an easy-to-use information system, and established WACA MSIPs. several partnerships to make all of this work. With this approach, the duplication of work and the risk • Mobilizing financial resources from partners in support of system incompatibilities are avoided. of new WACA projects, or to complement the existing portfolio of projects for strengthened coastal resilience. 66 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 4. LOOKING FORWARD Scaling up As documented earlier, WACA aims to support the strengthening of resilience breakwaters, sea walls and groynes, coastal erosion continues to threaten geographically of coastal communities and assets in 17 many Ghanaian communities and western African countries particularly economic assets. vulnerable to erosion, flooding, and Uncontrolled peri-urban development, pollution. The Program commenced with including building in waterways, six initial countries in 2018 (Mauritania, has contributed to flooding of Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin, and coastal communities, with severe São Tomé and Príncipe). Three additional consequences. Flooding in coastal Which universities, countries are also set to also benefit areas is compounded by inadequate academic and research from national projects in 2021 (Ghana, solid waste management as well as organizations are Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau). In addition, sea-level rise, mangrove deforestation, involved? Nigeria is currently receiving preparatory tidal waves, and storm surges, and technical assistance. has downstream effects on cultural Ghana heritage, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Ghana has 550 km of coastline, a With no active management, sea-level WACA directly the supports rise alone could contribute to the the Africa Center of Excellence 20,900 km2 continental shelf, and 218,100 km2 of exclusive economic movement of Ghana’s eastern shoreline for Coastal Resilience approximately 50 to 250 m landward (ACECoR), hosted by University zone (EEZ). Coastal areas account for approximately six percent of Ghana’s over the next 50 years in different of Cape Coast, to develop a locations. Marine pollution is also an network of West African and total land area and are home to one- quarter of its population and 80 percent increasing cause for concern in Ghana, global academic institutions. especially due to the high economic of its economic assets. The coastline dependence on coastal industries such is exposed to low-to medium-energy as fisheries and tourism. waves generating strong nearshore currents that cause erosion and pose Ghana signed onto the WACA risks to coastal dwellers. Harbors, Communique in November 2018, and dams and coastal defenses along this in late 2019 formally requested that coastline disturb its natural equilibrium the WACA Program be engaged for and sediment transport. Despite technical assistance to inform potential some control measures, including World Bank and partner investments for West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 67 With no active management, sea-level rise alone could contribute to the movement of Ghana’s eastern shoreline approximately 50 to 250 m landward over the next 50 years. Ghana. Photo: schusterbauer.com / shutterstock.com 68 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES coastal resilience. Technical assistance has commenced on two activities: (i) The Netherlands Water Partnership an economic analysis of the value of Since 2018, GFDRR has is working hard to help the Dutch mangrove forests as a resource for water sector create impact abroad coastal flood management, including provided programmatic by solving global water challenges modeling reforestation and impacts on support for the design, and contributing to building more flood risk, and proposed nature-based resilient societies. At the same interventions for flood risk management; launch and operation of the time, we aim to grow the sector’s and (ii) identification of hotspots for WACA Platform. global reach and business success. coastal flooding, erosion, and pollution, Close collaboration with the WACA and the subsequent development of pre- Program and its international feasibility studies for the three highest in the regional coastal observation partners will allow us to do exactly priority sites. mechanisms. The World Bank has been that – to share our knowledge and engaged for several years with Guinea expertise and work together on The proposed interventions for coastal in various sector reforms that have improving the coastal resilience of resilience from both activities will form paved the way for a transition to a West African communities.’’ the basis of Ghana’s coastal Multi- bluer economy, in particular support for Sector Investment Plan (MSIP), which the management of fisheries, mining Bianca Nijhof will serve as a decision-making tool governance, and local development. Managing Director, for the government and its partners Guinea has also signaled its commitment Netherlands Water Partnership to mobilize financing for site-specific to addressing key environmental interventions. The MSIP will be based issues by requesting an IDA loan from on the findings of the two activities, the World Bank for the Ministry of on the development objectives of Environment, Forests and Water. This the Government, and on extensive loan will assist in building the capacity consultations with coastal communities. of the Ministry to address tradeoffs for A World Bank investment operation for achieving sustainable development with coastal resilience in Ghana is currently economic growth, including in coastal What nature-based under preparation, and is expected areas. The intersectoral approach of solutions does WACA to begin in 2022. A national working this Natural Resources, Mining and promote? group consisting of the multiple Environment Management Project Ghanaian agencies working on coastal (P168613), currently under preparation, development, the WACA Program, and constitutes an opportunity to support their develop partners is being launched the first steps toward an integrated Active WACA projects include in late summer 2020 to identify re-vegetating dunes and coastal & marine planning and the opportunities for collaboration and joint river banks, re-planting and integration into the WACA Program. project financing. protection of mangroves, and Guinea-Bissau sand nourishment. Guinea Guinea-Bissau has significant natural Guinea is endowed with rich coastal coastal resources. The archipelago and marine ecosystems, some of them hosts endangered species, and the still well-preserved, including large mangrove forests serve as a nursery mangrove zones and rich natural for many species including fish, from resources waters. The coastal area Is climate change which neighboring countries also is subject to multiple development a factor in coastal benefit. The pristine coast is subject to challenges in the country's key resilience? degradation including coastal erosion in economic sectors (agriculture, fisheries, the northwest, mangrove habitats and mining, infrastructure); some of these sea-grass beds have been shrinking, and challenges jeopardize sustainable there are reports of saltwater intrusion. Climate change exacerbates development. A significant part of Guinea-Bissau’s the processes of coastal Guinea has been involved in regional population depends on natural resources erosion and flooding, due to coastal resilience initiatives since its for their livelihood and food security. sea-level rise, and extreme contribution to the development of Managing the coastal assets sustainably weather events. the West African coastal masterplan is an essential element of the country’s (SDLAO) in 2011 and its participation economic and social development. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 69 The Implementation Progress Report of the Coastal and development of the MSIP will proceed simultaneously with Biodiversity Management Project (P049513), (CBMP) the development of pre-feasibility studies to identify potential recommended that Government should explore potential linkages interventions at the highest priority site in each state. The first with the Bank’s coastal resilience efforts under the West Africa results are expected in early 2021, and the WACA Program is Coastal Areas (WACA) initiative to which Guinea-Bissau could working with its development partners to coordinate financing, adhere. The government of Guinea-Bissau signed on to the 2018 expected to be mobilized in late 2022. WACA Communiqué, and requested that the country become Sierra Leone part of the Program in 2020. The World Bank is exploring the possibly of IDA financing for a project that would focus on policy In Sierra Leone the World Bank has been supporting Greater for resilience, investments in coastal protection and restoration, Freetown in developing resilience to disaster and climate as well as social and livelihood activities. The project would also change, most notably through the Damage and Loss support objectives towards a sustainable green, resilient and Assessment and the associated recovery financing following inclusive recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. the Sugarloaf mudslide of August 2017. The ongoing Freetown Emergency Recovery Project (FERP) has supported interventions Nigeria for the rehabilitation of landslide-affected areas, through slope The maritime zone of Nigeria is composed of 853 km shoreline stabilization, bridge and drainage infrastructure rehabilitation, on the Atlantic coast. The major economic activities in the and water infrastructure rehabilitation. It is also supporting zone include oil and gas exploration and exploitation, fishing capacity building for disaster risk management and emergency industries, shipping, agriculture, sand-mining, and tourism. preparedness and response at the national and local levels. Some of these activities are exposed to persistent and increasing Looking ahead, the World Bank is preparing a new investment coastal risks, mostly related to pollution, erosion, fluvial and project to build urban resilience in Greater Freetown and across coastal flooding by anthropogenic activities such as rapid the country, by strengthening institutional capacity of city urbanization, oil spillage, poor waste management practices councils in resilient urban planning and supporting own-source (municipal and industrial), mangrove depletion, sediment revenue mobilization. It will finance infrastructure investments, trapping by port or upstream dams, and more recently climate in urban drainage, solid waste management, and in the change-driven sea-level rise and intense precipitation. upgrading of poor and vulnerable neighborhoods. The project In response to these development challenges, the WACA will have a strong emphasis on eco-system-based approaches, Program has launched an MSIP to address coastal degradation including forest, mangrove and wetland protection, and tree- and hazards in Cross Rivers, Delta, and Lagos states. In growing interventions. It will also build institutional capacity for an approach similar to that being taken in Ghana, the disaster risk management and preparedness. Ghana. Photo: Andrea Borgarello / World Bank 70 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Scaling up knowledge To support the sustainability of the infrastructure. The event was organized Knowledge Pillar, the WACA Program is by the Netherlands Water Partnership Overview supporting the development of academic (NWP), and sponsored by the Nationally In FY20, the design and operation of programs and a regional network of Determined Contribution Support Facility the first Pillar of the WACA Platform expertise with the University of Cape (NDC Facility), the Global Facility for dedicated to Knowledge, was finalized, Coast’s ACECOR has led a regional Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), to facilitate and increase access to mapping of tertiary and academic the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), and knowledge, expertise, regional and global research institutions. A compendium the World Bank. good practices, and technical assistance of solutions and good practices for programming for, and among, West Participants were struck by how similar integrated coastal zone management, African and other countries faced with the their development challenges were, despite based on global practices, is under challenges of coastal erosion, flooding and their bio-physical and socio-economic development led by France’s IRD jointly pollution. Three key areas of engagement differences. The Dutch highlighted their with UCC and was due for delivery by and related sets of activities were experience with the ABCDE approach end-June 2020. A call for innovation has advanced in FY20: Knowledge Generation (System analysis, Political bargaining, supported identification of key areas of & Advisory Services, Knowledge Codification, Delegation, Engineering) a frontier research to advance technical Management, and Capacity Building. practical method of organizing the solutions for coastal resilience. necessary conditions needed to Under Knowledge Generation & Finally, in the area of capacity-building, developing solutions for sustainability Advisory Services, an interim technical institutional stakeholder mapping was and adaptation. It was clear that the advisory committee (iTAC) was led by UCC-ACECoR to identify regional Netherlands has very strong institutions established and operated in FY19 to institutions for the eventual transfer of in government and the private sector to provide technical advice and expertise WACA Platform services. serve the national goal of water to WACA countries, identifying priority management. Furthermore, the Dutch interventions for coastal resilience, Knowledge Exchange in the people are engaged in the national based on an understanding of the Netherlands dialogue to live with nature, with risks, benefits, impacts, and urgency of In October 2019, representatives of significant stakeholder engagement at various investment needs. iTAC members the Governments of Albania, Georgia, all levels. contributed to the Understanding Ghana, Liberia, Romania, and Sierra Risk Forum in Abidjan in November Leone undertook a study tour of the The national government prioritizes 2019, assisted in the development of Netherlands, aimed at leveraging Dutch research and provides resources to a harmonized methodology for MSIPs; expertise on nature-based solutions institutions - an important example for conducted scientific reviews of key by learning about nature-based water ACECoR and similar networks. Climate WACA Documents, and started a roster management and flood control measures, change and other challenges are seen of experts in the region to support future and the exploring the potential of as opportunities to generate other operations of the WA Hub, and WACA integrating nature-based infrastructure benefits and environmental services. All Knowledge Helpdesk. along with, or sometimes in place of, grey projects visited involved a consortium of West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 71 Mauritania. Photo: MasterlessFootage / shutterstock.com support decision makers in ensuring with the technical assistance IUCN and that proposed technical options address the Ecological Monitoring Center of Dakar The need for a “Compendium their priorities, and that they are resilient (CSE), within the framework of its Regional to predicted climatic and non-climatic Program for Coastal Erosion Control of Solution” emerged that stressors, both current and future. (PRLEC). The first update was published in would describe existing and The first phase of the Compendium 2016, as part of the West Africa Coastal Observation Mission (WACOM) and potential solutions to curb was conducted by the French National validated in July 2018 in Abidjan by the Research Institute for Sustainable coastal erosion, prevent Development (IRD) and UCC - ACECor. Ministers in charge of the environment of the different countries. These publications flooding and mitigate damage Co-funded by the WACA Platform and have been instrumental in creating and IRD, this work was reviewed by the on society. iTAC, contributing to the establishment maintaining momentum on coastal risk management in West Africa and for of a network of academic and research funding mobilization. institutions on coastal resilience in the stakeholders, deployed in collaborative region. Coastal management practices The 2020 assessment will focus on arrangements according to their currently applied in West Africa and the main changes in coastal areas in expertise. Finally, in the area of financial other parts of the world were analyzed the period 2016-2020; these changes sustainability, the Netherlands has three based on a review of scientific literature. include pressures on coastal systems levels of water taxes, with maintenance Good practices in the region were and the responses implemented by the incorporated into the financial models. identified, and potential solutions from States and their partners in response. Compendium of Solutions global practices not yet applied in the This edition will draw on mechanisms One of the main challenges initially for region explored. The Integrated Coastal that have allowed for the development coastal countries was that there was Zone Management (ICZM) approach is of previous versions and highlight the no easy access to good practices for proposed as an overarching principle important work and initiatives that coastal management in West Africa. The for implementing the solutions, with have been achieved and committed to need for a “Compendium of Solutions” special emphasis on ecosystem-based through the WACA Program and partner emerged that would describe existing management and nature-based solutions. initiatives. These include: and potential solutions to curb coastal • Preparation of the detailed assessment; 2020 West Africa State of the erosion, prevent flooding and mitigate Coast Report • Integration of MSIPs and the PARSI at damage on society. As part of the WACA ResIP project, a 2020 the regional level; The Compendium of Solutions is a key West Africa State of the Coast Report is initiative under the WACA Platform’s • Regulatory and legislative reforms at to be developed in 2020 and published in Knowledge Pillar, to guide future the national and regional levels; 2021 (Bilan 2020). The Report is an update investments and inform regional political of the West Africa Coastal Master Plan • Sectoral mechanisms for dialogue. The WACA Compendium will (SDLAO) published in 2011 by WAEMU collaboration and integration; 72 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES • Initiatives to identify existing and innovative solutions; As the sea level rises, so does the • Coastal risk observation and Temperatures in West Africa likelihood that the success of assessment processes; are expected to rise by 2°C these burgeoning regions will be washed away as food production • Enhancing knowledge on sediment in 2050 and by almost 4°C dynamics, land use and coastal will decrease, access to clean ecosystems; in 2100 over most of the water will be curtailed, and catastrophic storms will become • Initiatives to develop data region under one scenario, more prevalent.” presentation and sharing platforms; with temperatures increasing and Ahmadou Aly Mbaye by approximately 4.6°C in • Coastal areas Earth Observation Senior Fellow, mechanisms and tools for sustainable Mauritania by 2100. Africa Growth Initiative development. The 2020 WA State of the Coast Report and extreme events are considered, the is being developed collaboratively, potential inundated areas are larger. involving partners producing coastal and The assessment provides a quantitative marine data and information in West estimate of the potential changes and Africa. The CSE at Dakar is taking the hazard exposure, which can guide the lead in delivering the Bilan 2020 update. design of future coastal investments. How do you make sure vulnerable and They will be acting as stakeholders and Mangroves Study marginalized partners coordinators, assembling and West Africa’s coastal areas host an populations also benefit harmonizing the final document. abundance of mangroves along from the program? The WACA Climate Change the coast where ocean, freshwater, Assessment and land meet. Estimates indicate The WACA Climate Change Assessment mangroves along the coast in West consolidates relevant information on African coastal countries cover more WACA ResIP applies a social than 20 thousand square kilometers. climate change in Mauritania, Senegal, inclusion and community Common mangrove species found Togo, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire to engagement approach to in West Africa include three types of describe potential changes in the coastal ensure that communities – red mangrove, black mangrove, white climate, as well as related hazards, in an and especially marginalized mangrove, buttonwood, nypa palm and organized and quantitative manner at or vulnerable groups – are leather fern. These mangroves provide different time horizons. Temperatures consulted about project wood and non-wood forest products, in West Africa are expected to rise by design and potential impacts. contribute to conservation of biological 2°C in 2050 and by almost 4°C in 2100 diversity by providing habitat for birds, over most of the region under one fish, shellfish and amphibians, help in scenario, with temperatures increasing salt production, protect adjacent coastal by approximately 4.6°C in Mauritania by areas from erosion and flooding, and 2100. Although precipitation is expected sequester carbon. However, in general, How do you work be less frequent, extreme precipitation the ecosystem services of mangroves on governance in the events are expected to occur more are context-specific. Hence, the program? often. By 2050 sea levels on the coasts identification of location-specific of Mauritania and Senegal could rise by benefits of mangroves and valuation 0.6 m; in Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin of ecosystem services of these natural the rise could be 0.3m. By the end of Support for improved coastal resources is critical for the Natural the century in all countries, increases governance is integrated into Capital Accounting of West African of over one meter in sea levels are all WACA projects, as it is Coastal Areas. projected. When only sea level rise is a necessary complement to considered, the total potential inundated WACA has enabled a study into physical and social investments areas in the five countries is estimated the ecosystem services provided that address erosion, flooding, at about 6,650 km2 in 2100, of which by mangroves to communities and and pollution. 5,260 km2 is in Mauritania and Senegal countries in the region. A comprehensive combined. When the effects of tides methodology is being developed for West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 73 the estimation of the total economic value of ecosystem services of current mangrove plantations in the West Africa coastal region, taking into consideration the whole range of benefits provided by mangroves. Additionally, a framework is being established for comprehensive costing of replanting or creation of additional mangrove plantations in suitable locations. Scaling up communications Given its transboundary scope, the WACA Program brings together communities with different needs, stakeholders across a range of arenas, and partners with distinct priorities. To reconcile these, there is a need for stakeholder engagement, donor relations, and expectations management. These efforts must be coordinated and sustained, as the complex interventions needed to build coastal resilience take time and dedication. WACA’s network of communications specialists from countries’ project implementation units and partner agencies have prepared a regional communications strategy with which they align their work program, delivering together on the objectives, approaches, actions and outcomes outlined. This strategy combines activities at the national and institutional levels that ladder up to support WACA’s objective of transforming coastal livelihoods in West Africa. Studies show the direct links between project performance and communications activities, which are a determining element of a results- Senegal. Photo: Curioso.Photography / shutterstock.com oriented strategy. WACA sets itself the imperative of conducting impactful communications focusing on the results of projects, the participation and satisfaction of coastal actors, and the sustainability of the interventions. The communications strategy brings a human narrative on coastal livelihood to the discourse; activates influencers who can advocate, engage and activate their networks; and builds partnerships that secure support for coastal resilience. 74 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES Partners at the WACA Marketplace, Abidjan. Photo: World Bank This helps position WACA as a partner For this purpose, WACA has launched a of choice, and places coastal resilience study in collaboration with the firm CPCS at the center of global, regional, Twelve projects have been to identify a pipeline of projects that and country development. Regional will include private sector investments. integration and African ownership are identified as potential PPP Twelve projects have been identified as both key factors of success. This strategy projects, to be presented potential PPP projects, to be presented supports the creation of coherent after consultations with the government regional policies and promotes strong after consultations with at the next WACA marketplace. Based support from leaders in the region. the government at the next on the assessment of viable projects in this pipeline, WACA is also looking at The strategy enables adaptive execution, WACA marketplace. various instruments that would provide taking into account emerging needs as WACA evolves and scales up from six to sustainable financing for these projects. 17 countries and from an envelope of WACA will seek private sector solutions The WACA Platform has already $220 million to the target of $2 billion. by, inter alia: conducted and completed a study on innovative financing that has led to Scaling up dialogue • engaging entrepreneurs to present the design of a potential private sector innovative ideas for fighting coastal Private sector regional fund. The fund would provide erosion through their businesses; WACA is engaging with the private financing for pre-feasibility studies for sector to leverage the sector’s • establishing a forum led by the the projects in the pipeline. Additionally, knowledge and finance and to build a private sector on coastal erosion; national funds will be established to network of support for the development further develop and implement the • developing or expanding on the Blue objectives of coastal areas. Private sector projects. These facilities will be developed Economy in relevant countries; and involvement would result in greater through pilots either in Ivory Coast or collaboration and planning between • raising sovereign bonds or creating Ghana. The latter would be conducted in key actors, including governments, civil an enabling environment for raising partnership with the Climate adaptation society, and academia. bonds on coastal management. team of the World Bank. West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 75 Finally, the WACA Platform has launched a call for innovation aimed at finding innovative engineering solutions to build sustainable ports. Through this initiative, the Platform is also seeking new PPPs that could be developed to ensure the sustainable management of ports. Coastal Voices: youth outreach Local Action and Citizen Engagement (LACE) Youth outreach is a key component of WACA’s efforts to crowdsource WACA seeks to mobilize communities’ homegrown solutions. The World Bank Africa Region has provided capacities to protect the coast platforms where youth across the region can champion coastal resilience and enhance resilience. Organized and mobilize local action. Kevin Adantchede lives on the coast in Benin, communities have a wealth of risk and won the 2019 Blog for Development Competition (Blog4Dev) – management knowledge based on extracts from his winning post appear below. their lived experience and should be engaged as partners in resilience Be Your Neighbors’ Heroes building rather than beneficiaries. It was Monday. My watch showed 2.34 am. It was raining like never Research has shown that community before. I was in the middle of the night, thinking about how I would get leaders can set priorities, influence ready for the day. To kill time, I was posting status updates on WhatsApp. government policies, and design and As soon as I finished, I got a reply message from a friend. implement investment programs that Their house fence had just collapsed. There was no one to help at this are responsive to community needs. time of the night. She told me that their living room and bedrooms Communities can lead the way, but was flooded, and the water was rising. The books, the television, the need to be connected to higher-lev computers, and the car were already inundated. She and her sister and el policy, technical assistance and mother had to climb up on top of a wardrobe to get out of the dirty water. information for sustainable impact. She was sending me those messages from there. To advance this agenda, WACA is working I thought of all the families in the neighborhood and elsewhere who had with civil society partners to develop a been affected. Those who got help in time were able to make it, but Local Action and Citizen Engagement others have not been that lucky. Because of global warming, the weather (LACE) initiative. The LACE initiative will is behaving like a hungry madwoman. Doing whatever pleases it and being focus on three main activity areas: aggressive. This is our responsibility! My neighborhood or my country is not the only one experiencing this. Have you already forgotten what • facilitate community-led partnerships happened in Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone? for coastal resilience: This will identify Fortunately, there are organizations like the World Bank, working for and support local innovations and resilience to pollution, flooding and coastal erosion through its West good practice for coastal resilience African Coastal Area Management Program (WACA). I think that, just building and promote collaborative as WACA is doing, we must continue to raise awareness among people relationships between communities living in areas exposed to flooding or coastal erosion about the dangers and local authorities to address they face and prepare them to develop sustainable solutions and adopt a coastal risk management through resilient attitude in the face of extreme natural events. direct funding and partnerships with grassroots groups, civil society and/ We must also keep on involving the youth in local development by supporting or other local entities. Good practices their citizen’s initiatives related to flooding, pollution and coastal erosion. The circular economy makes it possible to reduce waste generation, will be documented and shared across encourage recycling and re-using of waste. It should be the focus of any local countries through the Knowledge development and be promoted through regional contests. Sharing function of the Platform. Many people are losing their lives, their families, their homes and their • promote public participation and jobs. There are millions of them on the West Africa coasts. This damage citizen engagement in WACA: results not only in natural but also in economic consequences. Just because Activities will support awareness we live in the North of the country does not mean that the problems of raising and engagement of the the South do not affect us. public in WACA communities on issues of coastal protection and "We must also keep on involving the youth in local development" climate change. This may be done through activities such as social 76 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES media campaigns on coastal care; technical expertise and resources training and engaging local media on required to take project concepts There is financial and social urgency responsible reporting related to coastal presented by governments and turn to strengthen the resilience of erosion, disaster risk management them into investment-ready designs and climate change; raising awareness project ideas come from national Multi- millions of people living on the on regional/transboundary issues Sector Investment Plans (MSIP) and the coastline. Countries need to work and a culture of coastal protection; Strategic Regional Action Investment together to find common solutions training and nurturing community Plan (PARSI), and are triaged using a and crowd-in the finance needed leaders (women, youth, elders) to finance decision-tree to identify which to protect their coastline and avoid lead local efforts related to WACA financing instrument is most suitable. future damage.” objectives; crowdsourcing data The finance decision-tree, developed collection to inform WACA activities Benoît Bosquet by the World Bank’s Infrastructure and participatory socio-environmental Regional Director for East Asia and Finance, PPPs & Guarantees (IPG) group, monitoring, among others. Pacific at the World Bank determines the suitable choice of • promote social inclusion: This will financing instrument, and stems from support knowledge sharing and an assessment of parameters such as capacity building around the social profitability and return on investment. dimensions of risk. It will also support There may be a residual need to develop analysis and activities to promote new instruments, and a need to have a social inclusion and empowerment facility or a fund to stimulate and facilitate of women’s, persons with disabilities, private sector engagement and finance. traditional communities, etc. WACA convened the first Marketplace The WACA team is conducting further in November 2019 in Abidjan, Ivory design consultations with civil society Coast, aimed at catalyzing the dialogue partners to identify priority activities for among countries, potential financial a LACE workplan to carry out in the partners, and the WACA Platform, to coming year. accelerate implementation and action What are the on coastal resilience. An investment financing needs? Scaling up finance portfolio of about 12 projects with a From the outset, the World Bank has total value of about $1.6 billion was been committed to helping countries presented by the ministries of finance mobilize finance for coastal resilience, and environment of each country As of December 2020, WACA to attract potential investors. The which is a complex development has catalyzed $650 million in event resulted in one offer of specific challenge with costly solutions. In investments and commitments finance and one transformative offer of its first two years of operation, the and aims to scale this amount technical collaboration, both of which WACA Program has made significant to an indicative $2 billion. are now being pursued. progress on this commitment, leveraging public finance via traditional While this first Marketplace focused on development projects, engaging the project ideas for traditional development private sector, and developing new financing, including concessional loans, financing instruments. Through the credits, and grants, WACA is currently How is the private WACA Platform, the World Bank and its working with countries and partners to sector engaged? partners support the preparation of new identify opportunities for investment by the projects for coastal resilience. private sector, public-private partnerships, The Finance Marketplace and new financing instruments. At the heart of these efforts is the Engaging the Private Sector The private sector has been Finance Marketplace, the primary engaged through national and Rallying the private sector to help deliver mechanism to introduce project ideas regional consultations, and a on climate-resilience infrastructure and on for financing. The objective of the private sector working group overall development goals is a significant marketplace is to simplify the means by for sustainable ports is being challenge. Adapted, efficient and resilient which countries’ priorities and needs formed. The next Marketplace infrastructure is a key component for can be matched with public and private will focus on financing for PPPs. coastal resilience, and requires managing sector interest. At the Marketplace, the footprint of ports, roads, and urban the WACA Platform leverages the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 77 infrastructure. It is also about understanding the risks to the Program expects that with the existing engagement of the environment, and the cost of inaction. Therefore, engaging the private sector, the infrastructure finance partners, that private private sector is on the critical path for an in-depth understanding sector finance could materialize. Through these efforts, WACA of the innovations and financial tools that must be deployed and hopes to maximize the positive impact of infrastructure, raise scaled up to bring change. Even more progress is possible when economic efficiency, and integrate sustainability in infrastructure private sector actors commit firmly to sustainability and corporate investment in order to truly transform coastal livelihoods. social and environmental responsibility. Financial Reporting The WACA Call for Innovation closed at the end of last year Because the WACA Program is a combination of both and some transformative private sector-related ideas emerged, interventions and finance from many partners, traditional including the three winners: (i) the WAC-App which is an financial reporting on operations is both complex and not entirely interactive coastal planning tool to explore the impacts of helpful or relevant. Reporting on World Bank finance to countries coastal interventions; (ii) the Trans-Sand which is an idea for is provided though a different mechanism, and funds provided a transnational bypass scheme funded by a public-private by donors to the WB-executed activities are also accounted for dredging fund; and (iii) the SA-POD which is a systematic elsewhere. For many activities implemented by partners, again, integrative approach for port development. other reporting mechanics are in place. Public-Private Partnerships However, in collaboration with partners the WACA Program WACA has also reviewed national investment strategies for will deepen analysis in the next financial year, and is looking projects that could be developed into public private partnerships, into reporting on financing in the following dimensions: and a number of ideas have been identified, some of which are • the financing needs for the management of coastal erosion, in the process of detailed financial analysis, and to be presented flooding and pollution and coastal resilience in West Africa; at an upcoming Marketplace. The World Bank IPG and WACA have committed to work together to increase the feasibility • the ratio of investments to erosion, flooding and pollution of these innovations and PPP ideas, and to develop upstream obtained; business cases for public-private partnerships. IPG is keen to push • the cost of knowledge activities – e.g. MSIP, PARSI, and for innovations and even more for their replicability. feasibility studies; Looking Forward • capacity-building and knowledge exchange; As a result of the Bank’s engagement with development partners • investments in dialogue, harmonization and policy; and and the first Marketplace, a total of $650 million has been leveraged for approval or in the pipeline of donors. The WACA • the costs associated with WACA’s secretariat function. The Cabo Verde Blue Bond The World Bank supported the preparation of the Cabo Verde Blue Bond Note. Cabo Verde recognizes the growth potential of its coastal and marine natural capital and the need to preserve it. The sectors best fitted for Blue Bond financing in Cabo Verde could be ecotourism, marine plastics, and sustainable fisheries, as they would be most likely to combine development Cabo Verde. Photo: WARFP / World Bank impact, revenue generation, preservation of the coastal and marine environment, and attractiveness to blue investors. The Note concluded that a blue bond, in the order of $10-15 million, would be a suitable instrument for Cabo Verde, although it would not in itself be sufficient as an instrument to cover all aspects of coastal resilience. 78 RESILIENT COASTLINES, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ACECoR Africa Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience ANAGIL National agency for integrated coastal zone management (Côte d’Ivoire) BRGM French Geological Survey CBMP Coastal and Biodiversity Management Project, Guinea-Bissau Cerema Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environment, Mobility and Development CSE Centre de Suivi Ecologique ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States FERP Freetown Emergency Recovery Project, Sierra Leone FFEM French Facility for Global Environment GFDRR Global Facility for Disaster reduction and Recovery GIS Geographic Information System ICT Information and communications technology ICZM National Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Senegal ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management IDS Specialist in institutional development IGAs Income Generating Activities IGN French National institute for Geographical and Forestry Information IPG World Bank’s Infrastructure Finance, PPPs & Guarantees group IRD French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development iTAC interim Technical Advisory Committee KWPF Korea-World Bank Partnership facility LACE Local Action and Citizen Engagement MEDDPN Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Nature Protection (Togo) MOLOA Mission Observatory for the West African Coast MSIP Multisectoral investment Plan NWP Netherlands Water Partnership OIPR Office Ivoirien des Parcs et des Réserves PAGLI Côte d’Ivoire’s coastal master plan PDALM Mauritania Coastal Master Plan PIUs Project Implementation Units PROBLUE The World Bank’s Blue Economy Program RAMPAO Network of West Africa’s Protected Areas RISU Regional Implementation Support Unit RMU Regional Management Unit SDLAO West African coastal masterplan SERRP Saint-Louis Emergency Recovery Project (Senegal) SHOM French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service SRAIP Strategic Regional Action Investment Plan UCC University of Cape Coast UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WACA The West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program WACA ResIP WACA Resilience Investment Project WACOM West Africa Coastal Observation Mission WAEMU West African Economic and Monetary Union West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | Annual Report 2020 79 IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS BENIN CÔTE D'IVOIRE MAURITANIA SÃO TOMÉ AND SENEGAL TOGO PRÍNCIPE DONOR PARTNERS PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCING PARTNERS For more than a decade, the West African coastal countries have suffered from the adverse effects of coastal erosion exacerbated by climate change, jeopardizing the high socio-economic, environmental, and cultural potential of their coastal zones. If nothing is done, the vulnerability of the socio-economic infrastructure, natural resources and coastal populations will only grow, leading to an ever-increasing loss of wealth in the region. The West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA) is a convening Platform that assists West African countries in sustainably managing their coastal areas and enhancing their socio-economic resilience to the effects of climate change, facilitating access to technical expertise and financial resources. In this Annual Report, you will read about the emphasis on livelihoods and social development that the WACA Program offers, in parallel with physical and green investments to combat coastal erosion, flooding and pollution that are entry points to sustainable development in coastal countries. email: waca@worldbank.org www.wacaprogram.org