On July 29, the World Bank organized an online inception workshop for the development of a Multi-Sector Investment Plan (MSIP) towards coastal resilience in Ghana. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) of Ghana, and had the participation of around 50 stakeholders. Mr. Akihisa Katsumura, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Ghana, attended the workshop and gave introductory remarks on behalf of the Embassy.
The region of West Africa is highly dependent on its coastal areas, and in Ghana in particular, the coasts are home to one quarter of its population and 80 percent of its economic assets. However, the West African coastline faces dire threats from flooding and erosion. Such hazards degrade the coast, endanger ecosystems, put human livelihoods and well-being at risk, undermine economic potential, and further increase vulnerability to natural disasters. There is an urgent need for significant investments to strengthen the coastal resilience of Ghana and the West African region.
The Work Bank, through its West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Program, has been supporting countries’ efforts to improve the management of their shared coastal resources and reduce the natural and man-made risks affecting coastal communities. A MSIP is being developed for Ghana, to serve as a decision-making tool for the Government and its partners to mobilize financing for investments to manage coastal risks.
The Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries, financed by the Government of Japan, has been supporting this effort through its technical assistance grant, “Developing Infrastructure Solutions for Coastal Resilience in Ghana”. The grant will support studies to inform the MSIP and the “West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project 2 (WACA ResIP II)”, a World Bank project currently in the pipeline, aimed at improving coastal resilience in Ghana and the West African region. WACA ResIP II will build on WACA ResIP I, a multi-country regional project that has supported the strengthening of resilience of coastal communities and assets in six western African countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Togo) and the strengthening of regional integration. WACA ResIP II will add Ghana and Guinea Bissau and further strengthen regional integration activities, and the technical assistance supported by the Japan-World Bank Program will build the basis for the project’s activities in Ghana.
The inception workshop held on July 29 comes as part of an effort to ensure inclusivity in the MSIP and WACA investment projects, with various stakeholders learning about the methodology and process for developing the MSIP and sharing their views on investment priorities.
Japan has deep knowledge and vast experience in disaster risk management and sustainable resource management. The WACA Japan Knowledge Network is currently being established, with aim of transferring Japan’s expertise to the West African region. It is hoped that the network will also be beneficial for Ghana in strengthening its coastal management.