As part of the regional launch of the Comprehensive Abortion Care in West Africa (CAC) project, a regional launch meeting was held from 13th to 15th March 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Under the leadership of the IPPF ARO Secretariat, the Member Associations (MAs) from Burkina Faso (ABBEF), Cameroon (CAMNAFAW), Niger (ANBEF) and Togo (ATBEF) were invited to strengthen their institutional capacities to ensure the successful and effective implementation of the said project.  

Over three days of workshops, punctuated by plenary sessions, engaging PowerPoint presentations, and group work, participants benefited from in-depth learning about the project. They were able to take ownership of the project's requirements and fully understand the essential role that MAs must play in its implementation and monitoring. The sharing of experiences allowed participants to address the project's multiple intervention levers, including service delivery, advocacy, and community mobilization.

This meeting was also an opportunity for the MA representatives to re-examine and refine their intervention strategies to align them more closely with the project's objectives and priorities.  

At the close of the workshop, a sense of satisfaction emanated from the participants, testifying to the positive impact of this meeting on their respective positions. Several participants highlighted the opportunities for collaboration and mutual learning among MAs that the meeting offered. 

"The sessions were all enriching, but I particularly appreciated the ones on sharing experiences. I was impressed by everyone's open-mindedness and the collaborative atmosphere that resulted. The exchanges were constructive, with a sincere desire to find solutions," said **Marie-Ange Bouwem Kamealo, CAC Project Coordinator, ATBEF**.

"I found the meeting very pleasant and enriching, with a mastery of the topics covered. I recommend promoting this type of meeting, which is a true framework for sharing experiences," said **Dr Mady Dera, ABBEF**.

"I was able to better differentiate between advocacy and social mobilisation," said **Dr Gael Dongmo Kenfack, CAC Project Coordinator, CAMNAFAW**.

Some emphasised the strategic importance of this initiative for improving their engagement, especially in a challenging context.  

"This workshop was of paramount importance for our team in Niger, because it was a key to opening up the implementation of this project at the level of our MA, given the very sensitive nature of the topic. All the grey areas concerning this project were cleared up during this workshop. This meeting not only allowed us to harmonise the various action plans but also to have an overall view of the coordinated implementation of this project, as well as the role of each MA in the consortium," said **Youmandi Lamoudi, Director of Programmes, ANBEF**.

In conclusion, this meeting marked a decisive step in the planning for the successful implementation of the CAC project in West Africa. It strengthened the ties between the MAs and the IPPF ARO Secretariat, while providing participants with the necessary skills to meet the challenges ahead in the field of comprehensive abortion care in West Africa.