The Netherlands helps advance Climate Resilience in West Africa (WACA)

At the FOMACO 2026 Forum in Nouakchott, Mauritania, collaboration was at the heart of advancing coastal resilience in West Africa. From the perspective of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO-TIO/CWF), it was inspiring to see how strong partnerships are helping to move Nature-based Solutions (NbS) from concept to implementation.

Together with the World Bank’s West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA), IUCN, and key Dutch partners including EcoShape and NL2120, we co-organized a series of sessions, a plenary session, a deep dive and a two-day pre-forum workshop, and activities during the forum focused on scaling impact.

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Safeguarding Coasts, Driving Jobs: WACA+ to Protect 530,000 People and Catalyze 13,000 Blue Economy Jobs

Combining coastal protection with private‑sector–led growth to strengthen the blue economy value chains in Benin and Mauritania.


WASHINGTON, March 17, 2026
 – The World Bank Group today approved a total of $240 million, including $207 million from the International Development Association (IDA) financing, $5 million from the PROBLUE trust fund, and $28 million in private capital, to launch the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Blue Economy and Resilience Program (WACA+). The program will help Benin and Mauritania protect vulnerable coastlines from erosion and floods, strengthen blue‑economy value chains, and create thousands of new and better‑paid jobs for coastal communities.

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Collaboration between the Netherlands and Ivory Coast on Coastal Protection

The governments of Ivory Coast and the Netherlands, represented by Ivory Coast officials, Invest International, and the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, have initiated a project to strengthen the coastline near Abidjan. The collaboration aims to protect Ivory Coast’s coastline from flooding and erosion using sustainable, nature based solutions. To begin, a feasibility study funded by a one million euros investment will assess the best methods for coastal reinforcement. The subsequent implementation phase, anticipated to cost millions of euros, will safeguard Ivory Coast’s coastal regions and creates substantial opportunities for Dutch companies.

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