The ceremony was speaheaded by the ministry of Environment Climate and Natural Resources.
The project is funded by World Bank.
The project is said to provide financial and technical assistance to countries and regional institutions to address coastal resilience using coastal erosion, flooding and pollution at entry points.
In his launching statement VP Jallow described The Gambia as increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and prone to coastal erosion, coastal flooding and pluvial flooding.
“In 2022 alone, over 30,378 people were directly affected by the heavy downpours across the country. Children under 5 affected accounts for 21% and are particularly at risk to water-borne diseases caused by water contamination; while females accounted for 51% of the total affected population, including 3,761 pregnant and breastfeeding women.”
He disclosed that during this period, a total of approximately 9,500 houses were damaged, 13 deaths, and 7,404 persons were internally displaced.
He also harped on the financial and economic instability, threats to human security, and growing environmental degradation.
“This project will support the government to improve the institutional and policy frameworks around disaster risk management, integrated coastal development, natural resources management and urban resilience.“
The project, he stated will provide pollution management that will be covered by pollution control infrastructure reducing land-based waste inputs in the ocean, through small works to improve sanitation, solid waste management NGO/community programme as well as oil spill incident preparedness and management.
“Management of coastal ecosystems will be supported through restoration of degraded ecosystems as well as investments to reduce pressure on the most fragile, through strengthening protected areas as well as
providing alternatives to livelihoods depending on fragile ecosystems,” he said.
He further noted that the project would also pilot a sustainable jobs approach designed to create income sources and livelihoods for people, targeting jobs stemming.
He assured that the government will continue to empower all stakeholder institutions towards the sustainable management of the environment and its natural resources.
He further assured the World Bank Group and other development partners of their continued willingness for partnership in initiating projects, to improve the living standards of the Gambian people in all spheres of work.
