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The EU strives to reach smart and secure investments in quality infrastructure, as well as in sustainable connections in goods, people and services around the world. Specific EU program (called Global Gateway) explores the “mutual benefit” concept with €300 billion investment for the next five years. This EU “global model” is based on a long-term cooperative strategy with the partner countries in line with the EU’s priorities, values, rule of law and international standards.
Background
The Global Gateway is the EU’s reaction to the process of narrowing global investment gap: it also reflects the commitment of the G7 leaders reached in June 2021 to launch a values-driven, high-standard and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet global sustainable development goals: thus, the Global Gateway is fully aligned with the UN’s Agenda 2030 for SDG-17, as well as the Paris Climate Agreement.
Thus, in 2021, the European Commission and the EU High Representative launched the Global Gateway, a new European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections with the digital, energy and transport sectors, while also strengthening health, education and research systems around the world. During 2021-27, the EU’s “Team Europe” program will mobilise about €300 billion of investments to support sustainable and high-quality projects, addressing the needs of partner countries and ensure lasting benefits for local communities.
This approach will allow both the EU’s partners and the member states to:
a) develop the third countries’ socio-economic development, and
b) create opportunities for the private sector in the EU states to invest and remain competitive.
Besides, it will uphold the highest levels of environment, labour standards and sound financial management on both sides.
More in: https://commission.europa.eu/topics/international-partnerships/global-gateway_en
First milestone of the Global Gateway was the Africa-Europe Investment Package, with approximately €150 billion of investment dedicated to strengthening partnerships with African states; at the same time, the EU has also started implementing Global Gateway in Asia and the Pacific in Latin America and in the Caribbean.
By 2023, ninety key EU projects were launched in digital, energy and transport sectors worldwide, while also advancing health, education and research directions around the world.
Main reference to:
https://commission.europa.eu/topics/international-partnerships/global-gateway_en
The 2025 Global Gateway Forum
Present EU-Global Gateway program is aimed at key value chains: energy, clean tech, digital, critical minerals, transport, food and health, etc.; in all these fields, the EU’s goal is to combine strengths and resilient global value chains together with local infrastructure, employment, local skills and industries.
The 2025-Forum this October has been attended by 12 Heads of State and Government, over 70 ministers from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as over 150 firms and companies, which provided a unique platform to turn ideas into investment partnerships and bring projects closer to their achievement.
At a time of global controversies, the tariffs and trade barriers are back as a tool of geopolitics and geoeconomics: export controls have become a tool of statecraft, to damage competitors and extract concessions. Hence, global dependencies are weaponised, including those created by unsustainable foreign investments; the latter have left too many countries burdened with unsustainable debt.
Faced with this realities, advanced economies, emerging markets and developing nations are asking the same urgent questions: how to create a strategic strength at home; how to break free from dependencies; how to diversify global partnerships and make them reliable; as well as how to ensure access to the capital, financial resources and technologies needed to thrive? These and other vital questions were discussed at the Global-2025 Forum…
However, the Forum was not only a gathering place “to showcase” the ways the partners work together under Global Gateway: it was a platform “to listen and to reflect on how the EU can strengthen its further, to scale up concrete projects and create greater investment opportunities”, notes the President.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/speech_25_2337
More on the Gateway
The European Global Gateway provides a positive attempt towards reducing worldwide investment disparity and fostering sustainable connections in digital, energy and transport sectors among the EU states and the third countries, as well as strengthen health, education and research systems globally.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union member states, and European development financial institutions: the strategy managed to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments during 2021-27, creating essential links among partners reducing dependencies and closing the global investment gap.
The present Gateway-2025 is the second edition of the initiative: it is the “European offer to partner countries, delivering both on national, regional and global challenges, but also on the EU’s strategic interests”, notes Commission President.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2335; and additionally in: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/speech_25_2337
Positive examples
For instance, the EU has mobilised over €2 billion to upgrade transport infrastructure along the Solidarity Lanes between Ukraine, Moldova, and other states, helping Ukraine export goods such as grain to international markets. Further, the Lobito Corridor in Central Africa will link Angola’s Atlantic coast with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. By reducing transport times from 45 to seven days; the project will improve regional integration, lower emissions and unlock opportunities for local industries and communities.
Similar partnerships are being advanced worldwide, ranging from the digital transition in Colombia and regional electricity integration in Guatemala, to digital connectivity in the Middle East via the MEDUSA Submarine Optical Fiber Cable, water security via the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination, cultural heritage protection in Iraq, and clean energy projects in South Africa, Togo and Mauritania.
They also include strategic port modernisation in Cabo Verde, as well as the development of new food and health value chains in Africa and the Caribbean.
European Commission announced recently (9.x.2025) a €618 million Team Europe’s package to accelerate Africa’s clean energy transition; the announcement was unveiled during the Global Gateway Forum-25 in Brussels is an important milestone in the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” campaign. The €618 million package will go towards projects that support electrification, modernising power grids and expanding access to renewable energy on the continent.
These efforts will continue gathering supporters at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg (22–23 November 2025), where world leaders and investors are expected to announce further commitments under the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign.
Global Gateway Investment Hub
The EU member states and global corporate communities are anxious to be involved earlier in the announced international partnerships; including such spheres as practical projects’ implementations, shaping priorities and identifying strategic solutions.
With this in mind, the European Commission has voiced an idea of launching the Global Gateway Investment Hub, a single-entry platform for companies to propose investments.
It is going to be a focal place where the participating states, development banks, export credit agencies and businesses would come together to craft coordinated offers. In this way, all sides can rip profits and deliver: e.g. solid returns for investors, strategic value for the European member states, as well as the lasting benefits for the EU’s partners.
Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela said: “One of the key EU priorities is to enhance the involvement of the private sector in Global Gateway projects, as their expertise, innovation and investment are crucial to success. The launch of the Global Gateway Investment Hub marks a major step forward in making EU support more accessible and effective for companies eager to engage in sustainable and strategic investments globally. By providing a clear and coordinated pathway for private sector participation, the EU is creating win-win partnerships that advance global development while opening new markets and opportunities for European businesses.”
Practically, the EU member states’ companies will submit investment proposals via their ‘Team Nationals’ (the multi-stakeholder platforms led by national governments) that bring together ministries, development banks, export-credit agencies, business organisations and diplomatic missions. This approach aims to ensure that the proposals are well aligned with EU and partner country priorities and maximize the complementary national and European support and the quality and impact of the investments.
Source: https://global-gateway-forum.ec.europa.eu/news/launch-global-gateway-investment-hub-empowering-eu-private-sector-engagement-worldwide-2025-10-08_en