World Bank Group2016-05-172016-05-172016-04https://hdl.handle.net/10986/24285West Africa’s coastal area is critical to the region, home to a third of its people and the source of about half of its gross domestic product (GDP). Because most of it is composed of mangroves and sand formations, the area’s coastline is also highly vulnerable to erosion caused by coastal currents and storm surges. Erosion is evident from Mauritania to Gabon - and the rates of erosion are increasing. Around the port of Lome, for example, Togo’s coastline is estimated to have receded by as much as 12 to 15 meters a year. Regional integration will improve the sustainability of shared coastal waters, the protection of environmental services, and the livelihoods that rely on coastal ecosystems. Cooperation will also contribute to the development of regional principles or guidelines for coastal infrastructure investments.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOFLOODINGCOASTAL AREABASINFISHREGIONAL AGENCIESECOSYSTEMCLIMATE CHANGENATURAL HABITATCOASTAL MANAGEMENTCOASTAL WATERSNATUREPARTNERSHIPPROTECTIONREGIONAL COLLABORATIONCANALSINFORMATIONAGENCIESCOASTAL AREAS MANAGEMENTCOASTAL ZONEHABITATLARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEMMANGROVESCOASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENTCOASTAL ENVIRONMENTREGIONAL PLANMANAGEMENTREGIONAL DIALOGUEREGIONFISHERIESREGIONAL INTEGRATIONKNOWLEDGEEROSIONSEDIMENTMARINE POLLUTIONLANDECOSYSTEMSCOASTLINECOASTREGIONAL COOPERATIONRURAL AREASCONSERVATIONDELTASINTEGRATIONPOPULATION GROWTHREGIONAL APPROACHESSHORELINESEDIMENTSDONORSCOASTAL REGIONSTORM SURGESMARINE ECOSYSTEMCOASTAL RESOURCESCURRENTSCOASTAL EROSIONSANDDRAINAGELIVELIHOODSSEAPOLLUTIONWATERSLITTORALCOASTAL AREASBriefWorld Bank10.1596/24285