World Bank OKs $240M for coastal protection in Benin and Mauritania

The World Bank Group has 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+).

According to the World Bank, this 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.

In Benin, the program will stabilize the Bouche du Roy estuary and Mono River mouth, protecting homes, farmlands, tourism zones, and key transport corridors.

In Mauritania, it will reinforce the dune belt shielding Nouakchott, reducing flood risks for densely populated neighborhoods and key economic assets.

Across the two countries, WACA+ will support large-scale ecosystem restoration, including up to 3,000 hectares of mangroves and coastal wetlands to improve fisheries productivity, reduce storm‑surge risks, and expands opportunities in ecotourism and aquaculture.

In parallel, the project is set to actively engage and strengthen the private sector by investing in entrepreneurial capacity.