From 18 to 22 November, the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) study tour took place in the Netherlands. West African countries that are part of the WACA program (West African Coastal Areas Management Program) of the World Bank, visited various Dutch Nature Based water management Solutions. The delegation consisted of 22 participants including Worldbank staff, government officials and environmental experts responsible for water management (coastal erosion), from eight West African countries: Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Togo, Ghana, Sao Tome & Principe, Gambia and Mauritania.

In collaboration with WACA, RVO – Team International Organizations (TIO) organized a five-day study tour with the cooperation of Partners for Water, Invest International and the Dutch water sector; NL2120, EcoShape and Rijkswaterstaat. In the Hondsbossche dunes, Castricum dunes, the Water Management Centre in Lelystad (Rijkswaterstaat), the Noordwaardse Polder, the Biesbosch, the Wantijpark in Dordrecht and in The Hague, knowledge was exchanged on dynamic coastal landscapes and how to combat coastal erosion with natural solutions. Urban NBS was also discussed and the challenges of implementing NBS in a local context; both in terms of landscape and institutionally. Discussions were held with and at the office of Invest International about financing, NBS enablers and the importance of presenting NBS as a business case.

Dutch water experts from the private sector were given the opportunity to join different discussions and exchange knowledge with experts from visiting countries and vice versa at various times during the week. This week contributed to the partnership with the World Bank on NBS, the positioning of the Dutch water sector as an expert on NBS, the establishment of valuable contacts and new networks and the increase of opportunities for Dutch companies on projects from the World Bank-funded WACA program, and other initiatives to combat coastal erosion in West Africa.

Thanks to the different embassies and consulates in West-Africa, as well as the input of MFA colleagues from Senegal and DIO, this week has been a great success. For more information about this week and the participants, please contact Annelies Kannekens, annelies.kannekens@rvo.nl.

For an overview of all presentations, both from Dutch experts and country teams, please click here. For a brief glance of the visit to the dunes watch the video here.