Blog | 2019-09-29

Our Ministers are Deepening their Engagement in Preserving our Coasts

I am pleased to announce  that our ministers launched two new programs to preserve our coasts.

I am pleased to announce that West African ministers launched in July two new programs that will help preserve biodiversity in our coastal ecosystems. This is truly showing a deeper engagement in how our leaders commit to coastal resilience.

Opportunities to preserve our coasts are hindered by many environmental issues that affect ecosystems but also the livelihoods of our communities. We hope to use the new programs to solidify our effort in promoting the sustainable management of our coasts.

PAPFOR focuses on the preservation of forest ecosystems while PAPBIO concentrates on the preservation of biodiversity and fragile ecosystems, environmental governance and climate change. A total funding of nearly EUR 75 million from the European Union will make this possible.

We, at WAEMU, are eager to coordinate the implementation of the two programs under our regional mandate on environment and natural resources management and on behalf of ECOWAS. The programs are part of a coordinated action facilitated by the WACA Program for more results on the ground.

Another key partner, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will act as strategic operator to the PAPBIO and support countries mobilize finance for the conservation of mangroves.

Our effort will concentrate on transforming selected coastal ecosystems. We will work in the Grand Saloum (Senegal and Gambia), the Basse Casamance (Senegal, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau), the Grand Mano (Liberia and Sierra Leone), and the Mono-Volta (Ghana, Benin  and Togo).

We will collaborate closely with WACA as a partner of choice in accelerating transfer of knowledge, in simplifying process for investment, and in facilitating political and technical dialogue, all in support of the regionally integrated West Africa Coastal Areas Management Plan (SDLAO).

Blog by Christophe Deguenon, Director of Environment and Water Resources, West African Economic and Monetary Union

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Date: 2019-09-29

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