Welcome
EU Global Gateway: Global partnerships for democratic and sustainable standards
Wind farm in South Africa, © picture alliance / dpa
With its Global Gateway, the EU is combining global infrastructure partnerships with democratic values and sustainable standards – without hidden dependencies.
Infrastructure is what keeps the world up and running. It includes rails, ports and roads as well as power plants, power lines, data cables and water pipes, and education and healthcare systems. The G20 estimates that by 2040 there will be a deficit of around 13 trillion euro needed to close global infrastructure gaps. This is where the EU’s Global Gateway comes in, combining infrastructure projects with support for democracy, sustainability and resilience.
Geopolitical instrument to close infrastructure gaps and reduce dependencies
With its Global Gateway, the EU has created a geopolitical instrument for long-term, sustainable infrastructure investments in partner countries in the European Neighbourhood, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia. It is a fair and sustainable approach that focuses on partner countries’ specific needs and does not create hidden dependencies. The German Government is providing the European Commission with considerable financial and political support as well as expertise for the implementation of the Global Gateway. The aim is to sustainably expand partnerships and connect them to geopolitical goals.
Foreign Minister Baerbock commented on the Global Gateway:
In the competition between systems, it is not enough to have good arguments in favour of our liberal democratic model. We must also show other countries that the EU can offer them the better options as a result – transparently, treating them as equals, without oppressive contracts. This is what makes the Global Gateway so important, particularly when it comes to major issues that will shape the future such as climate action, energy transformation and digitalisation.
Worldwide partnerships for more democracy, sustainability and resilience
Global Gateway investments will strengthen bilateral partnerships and improve the EU’s position in a competition-oriented world. In addition, the projects implemented will bolster global energy and food security as well as supply chain resilience. The Global Gateway is thus also a response to the global upheaval caused by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Global Gateway is implemented through regional partnerships. These include the Global Gateway Africa – Europe Investment Package that was passed at the summit held by the EU and the African Union in February 2022, covering infrastructure projects worth 150 billion euro. The Global Gateway also played an important role at the EU-Central Asia Connectivity Conference for Sustainable Development in Samarkand in November 2022, the EU-ASEAN commemorative summit in Brussels in December 2022, and the Indo-Pacific Forum in Paris in February 2022. For 2023, the focus is on an EU investment agenda with Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the ongoing implementation of projects in Africa and the Southern Neighbourhood.
Flagship Global Gateway projects
In September 2022, the European Commission presented five flagship projects that receive funding via the Global Gateway:
- a hydropower project in Rogun, Tajikistan,
- a project to generate green hydrogen in Chile,
- a project to generate green hydrogen and extract critical raw materials in Namibia,
- the expansion of Maio and Mindelo port in Cabo Verde,
- support for vaccine production in five African countries.
- In 2023, this list has grown to include 87 major projects and hundreds of smaller ones. The Global Gateway is thus already making a valuable contribution and improving the lives of people in partner countries and the EU.
Further information
Up-to-date information from the European Commission concerning the Global Gateway can be found here.
Companies who are interested in becoming part of the Global Gateway can register via the Team Europe Partnerships Portal.
Germany Trade and Invest also provides information on the Global Gateway (in German).