COTONOU, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved 240 million U.S. dollars in financing to launch the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience and Blue Economy Program (WACA+), according to a statement received by Xinhua on Thursday.

The program aims to help Benin and Mauritania protect their vulnerable coastlines from erosion and flooding, while strengthening blue economy value chains and creating thousands of better-paying jobs for coastal communities.

In Benin, the program will help stabilize the Bouche du Roy estuary and the mouth of the Mono River, protecting homes, farmland, tourist areas and strategic transport corridors.

In Mauritania, it will reinforce the dune barrier protecting Nouakchott, reducing flood risks for densely populated areas and key economic assets.

In both countries, WACA+ will also support large-scale ecosystem restoration, including up to 3,000 hectares of mangroves and coastal wetlands, to enhance fishery productivity, mitigate storm risks, and expand opportunities in ecotourism and aquaculture.

Coastal areas in West Africa, home to more than 360 million people, are major drivers of economic growth. However, livelihoods there are under increasing pressure, particularly in sectors with strong job-creation potential such as tourism, fisheries, aquaculture and port services.