Enhanced regional cooperation for the WAP ecological complex (Pasoa)

The W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) complex represents the largest collection of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savannah. With 22 protected areas, this natural zone – which lies across the borders of Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso – is of major ecological interest.

However, the WAP complex faces a number of threats. Combined with the effects of climate change, demographic growth and the spread of agriculture are fuelling serious tensions between communities over access to natural resources.

The project aims to tackle the gradual abandonment of protected areas to the armed terrorist groups prevalent in the region, and to support local populations so that – in the absence of an alternative, and given their isolation and vulnerability – they are not tempted to join those groups.

The project has 3 components:

• Bolstering regional cooperation for the strategic governance of the WAP complex.
• Contributing to long-term predictable and flexible financing for biodiversity conservation in the protected areas of the WAP complex, including innovative financial mechanisms.
• Contributing to the economic development of communities in bordering areas, particularly the W-Bénin national park, and reducing conflicts by instigating inclusive dialogue mechanisms.

• Adaptation to regionalisation by the governance bodies of the Fondation des Savanes ouest-africaines (FSOA – West African Savannah Foundation).
• Strengthening the regional governance bodies of the WAP.
• Implementation of pilot actions for cross-border cooperation.
• Mobilisation of additional financing by the FSOA.
• Implementation of socio-economic development and local dialogue actions benefiting local communities in the W-Bénin park.
• Monitoring and evaluation of activities subsidised by the FSOA, and their impacts.
• Alleviating the economic and social vulnerability of rural households.
• Sustainable management of biodiversity, natural resources and landscapes.

The project is taking place against a backdrop of structural crisis, in which the challenges of preserving natural resources, reducing conflicts around their use, combating violent extremism, and inter-state cooperation are intertwined. The integrated approach offered by the project is an innovative way of addressing all the various issues at hand with one solution.

The project also offers an innovative financial approach for inter-state cooperation, based on sharing a sustainable financing mecha-nism for the regional management of the fight against poaching and illegal trade in natural resources.

It will also enable trialling of actions to contribute to improving local people’s living conditions and reducing vulnerabilities and conflicts through systems for the joint and inclusive management of natural resources.