West African Regional Coastal Observatory (ORLOA)

Benin ; Gambia ; Ghana ; Guinea ; Guinea-Bissau ; Ivory Coast ; Mauritania ; Liberia ; Sao Tome and Principe ; Senegal ; Sierra Leone ; Togo – West Africa

Project leader : Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE)

Dates : 2018-2023

Classification

Risks

Solutions

Actors

Costs

Summary

The West African Regional Coastal Observatory (ORLOA) is under development as part of the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project (WACA-ResIP) funded by the World Bank. It builds on the West African Coastal Observation Mission (MOLOA), supported by UEMOA, which brought together 11 countries from Mauritania to Benin. MOLOA has updated the West African Coastal Master Plan (SDLAO) developed by the IUCN in 2011 that subdivided the coast into 44 zones and 179 sectors where the level of risk was characterised according to the hazards and issues. Eventually, ORLOA, which currently includes 12 countries (MOLOA and Sao Tome and Principe), will extend to Gabon and involve 17 countries. ORLOA will help develop the coastal territories concerned in a sustainable manner, through a system of production and data dissemination for decision-making.

ORLOA missions are to “Observe to better understand, better understand for better decisions”. It focuses on: 

  • The improvement, the enhancement of scientific and technical knowledge through the promotion, production and sharing of reliable and homogeneous data using harmonized data collection protocols;
  • To provide a supportive and sharing tool for the understanding, knowledge and management of coastal hazards by pooling skills and resources to facilitate the emergence of joint actions; the promotion and participation in communication actions; awareness-raising and involvement of civil society to disseminate knowledge and increase sources of data collection;
  • The implementation of a sustainable and integrated coastal policy by supporting new local observatories, the consolidation of existing observatories or local initiatives working on coastal monitoring. 

Actions

In 2016, MOLOA carried out the first update of the West African Coastal Master Plan (SDLAO) that resulted in the subdivision of the West African coastline into 44 zones and 179 coastal segments where coastal risks (coastal erosion, flooding, pollution) are characterized according to hazards and specific issues. From this, decision-makers received management recommendations. The ORLOA is responsible for carrying out future SDLAO updates based on the indicators identified at the regional level (satellite imagery) and on the existing observation system to be implemented at the national level for marine meteorological data collection.

As part of its missions, ORLOA implements three thematic workshops: 

  • (1) Capacity building workshop on the mapping of coastal protection works.
  • (2) Capacity building workshop on coastal risk monitoring indicators.
  • (3) Capacity building workshop on coastal risk assessment using the “Coastal hazard wheel” method

Several theses and research projects on coastal risks are underway :

  • Sedimentary dynamics of the recent quaternary and impacts of coastal hazards on Benin’s coastal environment.
  • Morphodynamics of the Somone river mouth, Petite Côte, Senegal

As part of the WACA FFEM, concrete achievements were registered. In Benin, the implementation of responses based on ecosystems was reported, with the characterization of the wetland in order to be declared as a Marine Protected Area. In parallel, awareness-raising activities among the population are being carried out in the country.

In Senegal, typhavelles (wood fences) have been installed to restore coastal dunes, develop the site and preserve biodiversity, encourage ecotourism and promote sustainable gardening activities among the population.

Outcomes

The ORLOA program is currently being developed (type, layout, governance, etc.) and the network of marine meteorological instruments is being sized. To date, the Observatory has enabled the updating of the West African Coastal Master Plan (SDLAO)

In parallel, as part of the WACA FFEM program, soft solutions have been developed in situ (Benin, Senegal).

The transition underway with MOLOA should integrate countries that are not yet in the new process but whose participation is fundamental.

Partners

Technical partners: State services, Regional and local authorities, universities and scientific institutions, Civil society representatives, Economic actors

Financial partners: World Bank, IUCN, UEMOA

Resources