The ceremony, chaired by the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, His Excellency Robert Beugré Mambé, marked the inauguration of coastal protection infrastructure developed under the WACA – West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program, co-financed by the World Bank, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The WACA project aims to strengthen the resilience of West African coastal areas against erosion and climate change while promoting the development of a sustainable blue economy, particularly in the sectors of fisheries, tourism, and mangrove preservation.

Through the Dutch public investment institution Invest International, the Netherlands contributed €8.6 million to the implementation of the project.

This contribution forms part of a broader €300 million funding envelope designed to support the development of resilient infrastructure in key sectors including water, sanitation, maritime development, and sustainable agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire.

The high-level ceremony also brought together the President of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council, Eugène Aka Aouélé, the Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Abou Bamba, and the Minister of Sports and Living Environment, Adjé Silas Metch.

Through this support, the Netherlands reaffirms its commitment to accompanying Côte d’Ivoire in the implementation of its National Development Plan and in building sustainable and climate-resilient coastal communities.