WASOP - West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme

The ocean is the future of West Africa. The West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP) connects stakeholders to strengthen the protection and conservation of the marine environment and promote a sustainable and integrated use of ocean resources in West Africa, by stimulating inclusive economic growth.

It is addressing the factors responsible for the degradation of the ocean’s natural resources and climate change, which heighten social, economic and environmental tensions in West Africa. 

WASOP has three lines of action:

1. Ocean governance, implemented by the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and two sub-regional fisheries commissions: SRFC and CPCO.
2. Sustainable and inclusive blue economy, implemented by Expertise France.
3. Ecosystem protection and restoration, implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Expertise France is focusing on the implementation of the second component of the WASOP project. Our overall objective is to support the development of a sustainable blue economy in West Africa, based on smart, inclusive and innovative approaches to address climate change. We promote the involvement of all stakeholders, including the private sector, and incorporate the issues of ocean and coastal governance, conservation and economic development, based on a seascape approach.

More specifically, the project aims to provide the technical services and expertise required for the development and implementation of sustainable action for the blue economy in West Africa. 

In addition, Expertise France will provide advice to the implementing partners of the other pillars and support the overall coordination of the WASOP programme.

1. Effective implementation of WASOP through coordination services

• Support for the coordination of the programme (including between the various pillars)
• Management of pillar II
• Studies and knowledge production
• Monitoring and evaluation

2. Provision of thematic expertise and technical assistance services for the stakeholders 

• Dialogue with the partner countries
• Technical assistance to national and regional institutions on request
• Support for training
• Promotion, analysis and facilitation of access to financial mechanisms and tools for the blue economy

3. Support for the selection and implementation of pilot activities for a sustainable blue economy 

• Call for projects
• Capitalisation and awareness-raising on the potential of a sustainable blue economy

4. Support for communication activities, focusing on raising awareness of the potential of a sustainable blue economy 

• Knowledge management strategy
• Communication strategy
• Support for a network of practitioners