PRESS RELEASE
Mindelo, 4 November 2025
West Africa unites for a Resilient Blue Future: the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP) officially launches.
The European Union and its implementing partners officially launch the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme
(WASOP) during the Cabo Verde Ocean Week, highlighting the region’s commitment to advancing a sustainable, inclusive,
and climate-resilient blue economy.
56% of ECOWAS GDP depends on ocean-linked sectors, while nearly 40% of fish stocks are already overexploited or
depleted. Coastal erosion in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo is advancing at an average of 1.8 meters per year,
costing up to $3.8 billion annually. These alarming figures underscore the need for coordinated action to preserve marine
ecosystems, sustain livelihoods, and catalyse inclusive economic growth. WASOP addresses urgent regional challenges
—from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing to coastal erosion, marine pollution and underfinancing— by
strengthening coordination, promoting sustainable investments, and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems. With €59
million in funding over five years, it supports the 13 West African coastal countries (Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo).
Implemented by Expertise France, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Sub-regional Fisheries
Commission (SRFC), the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), and in partnership with the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), WASOP is the EU’s flagship initiative for effective ocean governance,
sustainable blue economy and marine ecosystems protection in West Africa under its Global Gateway strategy.
“WASOP exemplifies Team Europe in action,” says Sylvie Millot H.E. the Ambassador of the European Union in Cabo Verde.
“It brings together our financial instruments, technical expertise, and partner institutions to turn ocean challenges into
opportunities.”
“Nearly 100 million people live on West Africa coastal areas. The West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme is not only
about protecting ecosystems—it’s about unlocking shared prosperity, driving economic growth, and building climate
resilience through innovation, governance, and inclusive blue economy solutions across 13 West African countries”
explains Jérémie Pellet, CEO of Expertise France.
“We are proud to officially launch the FiCS Ocean Coalition’s West Africa Regional Group, with the goal to help mobilise
nearly USD 12 billion of investments for a sustainable blue economy in the region in the coming years” announces Mrs.
Ourèye Sakho Eklo, deputy CEO of the West African Development Bank (BOAD).
“From Cabo Verde, we bring the voice of the islands to this shared West African vision to lead the blue wave. Together, we
can harness the power of the ocean to drive sustainable growth and ensure a better future for our coastal communities”
says H.E. Minister of the Sea of Cabo Verde, Jorge Pedro Maurício dos Santos.
Highlights of the launch event include an official high-level launch ceremony and the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding with BOAD and EBID, which mark their strong commitment to reinforcing their action in support of financing a sustainable Blue Economy. The event also includes the first steering committee with all partner organizations, regional commitments, testimonials from implementing partners and practitioners, site visits, and the unveiling of pilot project opportunities and technical assistance mechanisms designed to support implementation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: WASOP presentation leaflet
PRESS TEAM WASOP: Bérengère BATIOT berengere.batiot@gmail.com | +33 6 87 43 39 29 (Whatsapp)
PRESS CONTACT EUD CABO VERDE: Joao.DA-VEIGA@eeas.europa.eu | Virginia.MULAS@eeas.europa.eu
To access the PDF of this Press Release: CLICK HERE
