JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK Building sustainable international partnerships as a Team Europe
Date: 2024-10-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Subjects: EU international partnership, EU migration policy, development aid, financial aid, international cooperation, investment, sustainable development, third country

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY Brussels, 2.10.2024  JOIN(2024) 25 final  JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK Building sustainable international partnerships as a Team Europe  
 
 
Introduction  

Over the past five years, the European Union (EU) has revamped its model of development cooperation in 
line with new global realities, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, war, democratic backsliding, 
climate  change,  and  mounting  geopolitical  competition.  These  developments  have  exacerbated 
inequalities and hindered progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. They  have highlighted 
the importance of building resilience to external shocks. 

There has been a paradigm shift in the way the EU approaches its international partnerships beyond the 
EU’s  immediate  neighbourhood.  This  shift  derives  from  a  recognition  that  we  must  move  away  from 
donor-recipient dynamics and position ourselves more boldly in an increasingly contested international 
environment.  The  new  international  partnerships  complement  other  forms  of  structured  economic 
engagement – e.g. trade, energy, climate. 

Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union stipulates that the EU should work to “foster the sustainable 
economic,  social  and  environmental  development  of  developing  countries,  with  the  primary  aim  of 
eradicating poverty”. Over the past decades, the countries that have most successfully reduced poverty 
are  those  that  have  invested  in  infrastructure,  domestic  value  addition,  governance,  and  human 
development, thereby integrating their economies into world trade and investment circuits. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU introduced the Team Europe approach,1 a new method to 
pull together EU, Member States, European Investment Bank (EIB), and European Bank for Reconstruction 
and Development (EBRD) action in a coordinated manner so as to maximise impact. Beyond funding, it 
helps to pool expertise and nurtures a more strategic culture of cooperation. It has become the delivery 
method for the EU’s international partnerships. 

In December 2021, President von der Leyen launched the Global Gateway investment strategy.2 Retaining 
a  focus  on  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals,  it  embodies  the  conceptual  shift  towards  mutually 
beneficial partnerships of equals and serves a double imperative: resilience abroad and at home. Through 
Global  Gateway,  the  EU  concentrates  its  means  where  they  can  make  the  biggest  sustainable 
development difference. 

The EU and its Member States remain the leading provider of Official Development Assistance globally, 
accounting for 42% of the total in 2023, or EUR 95.9 billion. Yet international public finance is dwarfed by 
the scale of today’s challenges – it is insufficient on its own. Hence Global Gateway is also geared towards 
leveraging private investment. 

Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine  and  the  increasing  weaponisation  of  dependencies  have 
confirmed that Global Gateway set the right frame: today, there is a convergence between the demands 
of partners and the core interests of the EU, notably when it comes to climate and energy, critical raw 
materials, secure digital connectivity and transport corridors. 

1 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/team-europe-initiatives_en#what-is-team-europe 
2 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/stronger-europe-world/global-
gateway_en 

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While Global Gateway has become central to the EU’s international partnerships, it does not cover their 
full breadth. We continue to engage in conflict areas, fragile countries, and other complex settings through 
tailored  means.  Over  the  past  years,  the  EU  has  also  developed  a  more  comprehensive  and  strategic 
approach  to  migration  management  and  forced  displacement.  At  the  global  level,  multilateral 
engagement remains an important lever for European influence. 

In  the  Western  Balkans  and  the  Eastern  and  Southern  Neighbourhoods,  Global  Gateway  is  being 
implemented  through  Economic  and  Investment  Plans.  Yet  the  EU  deploys  comprehensive  policies  in 
these  regions  –  new  Strategic  and  Comprehensive  Partnerships  with  neighbouring  countries,  Ukraine 
Facility, Western Balkans Reform and Growth Facility. This Communication therefore limits itself to taking 
stock of progress achieved in deploying the EU’s new international partnerships in the countries outside 
the Neighbourhood and Enlargement regions. 

1.  Team Europe approach 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the need to pool resources in the most efficient way. The EU 
responded by developing the Team Europe approach, as part of a broader effort to enhance the European 
Financial Architecture  for Development.  This method  brings together the  EU, its  Member States, their 
diplomatic  networks,  implementing  agencies  and  development  finance  institutions,  Export  Credit 
Agencies, the EIB, the  EBRD, and the  private sector.  It  requires  EU and Member States to  operate  in a 
joined-up fashion and ensure better cooperation between public and private actors. By working as part 
of  a  team  towards  specific  joint  objectives,  each  actor  can  play  to  its  comparative  advantage  and 
contribute what  it  does  best.  Resources  are  deployed  coherently,  which  in  turn  allows  the  EU  and  its 
Member States to increase the scale, impact and visibility of our action. 

EU Member States embraced the Team Europe approach in record time. It is now an integral part of our 
external  action  toolbox,  central  to the  EU’s  international  partnerships,  be  it  under  Global  Gateway,  in 
fragile contexts or through multilateral engagement. The current mandate has seen the design of the first 
Team Europe Initiatives3 (over 160) in all regions, and the first joint missions at political level to promote 
Global Gateway. 

2.  Global Gateway 

The  already  significant  financing  gap  to  achieve  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals  has  increased 
massively  in  the  wake  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine. 
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, it now stands at about EUR 4 
trillion annually. Global Gateway is the EU’s contribution to narrowing this gap by investing in smart, clean, 
and  secure  links  in  the  energy,  digital  and transport  sectors,  and  strengthening  health,  education  and 
research  systems  across  the  world.  Through  a  Team  Europe  approach,  it  supports  global  economic 
recovery, accompanies the twin green and digital transitions beyond European borders, and enhances our 
partners’ resilience and Europe’s own strategic autonomy, in coordination with other EU policies. 

Global  Gateway  is  a  quantitative  offer:  it  aims  to  mobilise  up  to  EUR 300  billion  of  public  and  private 
investments by 2027 (including in the Neighbourhood and Enlargement regions) through a combination 
of grants, concessional loans and guarantees to de-risk investments. 

3 https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/resources/team-europe-tracker_en 

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Between 2021 and 2023, the EU, Member States, EIB and EBRD mobilised investments worth EUR 179 
billion in support of Global Gateway implementation. Out of these, EUR 50 billion were supported by the 
EU and EUR 129 billion were mobilised by EU Member States, EIB and EBRD.  

Global  Gateway  is  also  a  qualitative  offer  that  promotes  high  social,  environmental,  and  financial 
standards, and upholds democracy, the rule of law and human rights.  

It offers comprehensive partnerships tailored to partners’ needs – not just hard infrastructure, but also 
investment  in  education,  skills  and  access  to  sustainable  financing,  regulatory  support,  technology 
transfer and knowledge sharing. Global Gateway projects promote a conducive regulatory and business 
environment  in  partner  countries,  levelling  the  playing  field  for  business.  This  unique  360-degree 
approach makes the Global Gateway offer stand out; it is key to ensure that investments last and deliver 
impact. 

Global  Gateway  is  being  rolled  out  across  the  globe,  country-by-country.  Investment  packages  were 
launched with Africa, South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central Asia. 225 flagship 
projects  are  being  taken  forward.4  In  October  2023,  President  von  der  Leyen  hosted  the  first  Global 
Gateway Forum; over two days, EUR 3 billion-worth of commitments were signed with a wide range of 
partners. 

Another distinct feature of Global Gateway is its inclusiveness. The Global Gateway governance structure 
was operationalised with the first meetings of the Global Gateway Board, the Business Advisory Group 
and the Civil Society and Local Authorities Advisory Platform.  

The private sector, including Small and Medium-sized Enterprises,  is a key actor under Global Gateway: 
global investment needs can only be met if private finance is mobilised at scale. The EU set up innovative 
instruments to do so, starting with the EUR 40 billion European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus5 
guarantee programme, which reduces the risk of investments for development finance institutions, banks 
and institutional investors.  The EU also organised around 30 Global Gateway business  fora6  in partner 
countries. While the conceptual and practical foundations have been laid, much remains to be done to 
tap into  the  full potential of the  private sector. This includes  better leveraging  the  firepower of these 
innovative instruments. 

Global Gateway is rolled out through five priority areas. 

a.  Climate and Energy  

The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution calls for a strong EU response, 
combining the European Green Deal’s domestic and international dimensions. Global Gateway has placed 
the green transition centre-stage in our international partnerships. Over 2021-27, the goal is to ensure 
that 35% of the EU’s external budget contributes to climate action, and 10% to biodiversity protection. 

4 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/global-gateway-flagship-projects_en 
5 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding-and-technical-assistance/funding-
instruments/european-fund-sustainable-development-plus_en 
6 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/eu-business-fora_en 

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Global Gateway mobilises investments  for  climate resilience,  access to clean energy  and infrastructure 
such as renewable energy production plants and transmission lines, and green hydrogen facilities. It helps 
partner  countries  shift  away  from  fossil  fuels  through  Just  Energy  Transition  Partnerships,7  thereby 
contributing to implement the COP28 Global Pledge on tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling 
energy  efficiency  by  2030.8  It  supports  work  on  climate  adaptation.  It  is  instrumental  in  the 
implementation of the EU’s 14 strategic partnerships on raw materials value chains,9 and establishes new 
markets  for  EU  clean  technology  companies.  It  supports  inclusive  and  sustainable  food  systems  to 
strengthen and restore global food security, and fosters climate-resilient fisheries and aquaculture. It turns 
environmental challenges into opportunities for jobs and prosperity (e.g. Forest Partnerships that protect, 
restore,  and  ensure  the  sustainable  management  of  forests  while  strengthening  forest-based  value 
chains10). 

b.  Digital  

The digital transition is today one of the main drivers of economic growth. Yet many partner countries still 
lack access to secure and trusted digital tools and options. While more than 90% of people in High-Income 
Countries used the internet in 2022, only 25% did so in Low-Income Countries.11 Over the past five years, 
the  EU  has  pioneered  a  human-centric  digital  transition  to  leverage  digital  technologies  for  inclusive, 
green, and sustainable growth. 

In addition, the EU supports the deployment of secure, resilient connectivity and digital infrastructures, 
which create an environment of trust to the benefit of citizens, businesses, civil society and governments. 
The  EU  does  not  finance  high-risk  vendors;  it  instead  supports  trusted  vendors  to  ensure  secure  and 
trusted  digital  connectivity  worldwide.  Approximately  10%  of  the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and 
International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe funding will be dedicated to digital actions.   

Under Global Gateway, the EU supports digital infrastructure, digital skills and entrepreneurship, and the 
digital transformation of businesses and public services,  as well as regulatory  cooperation. The  EU  has 
launched  five  comprehensive  Digital  Economy  Packages.12  Priorities  for  secure  and  trusted  digital 
infrastructure include secure undersea cables, backbone infrastructure, satellite imagery and data, last-
mile connectivity, data governance and cybersecurity. 

c.  Transport  

While transport connectivity is a key factor of sustainable growth and an essential enabler of trade, many 
countries  still  face  important  gaps  in  their  infrastructure.  Under  Global  Gateway,  the  EU works  on  the 
development of all forms of transport – road, rail, maritime, air, urban mobility – while supporting efforts 
to decarbonise and align with European and international principles, standards, and norms. Here too, the 
offer  is  two-pronged:  invest  in  physical  infrastructure  to  strengthen  transport  networks,  while 

7 Indonesia, Senegal, South Africa, Vietnam. 
8  https://www.cop28.com/en/global-renewables-and-energy-efficiency-pledge 
9 With Canada, Ukraine, Namibia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, 
Greenland, Rwanda, Norway, Uzbekistan, Australia, Serbia.  
10 With Mongolia, Honduras, Guyana, Republic of Congo, Uganda, Zambia. 
11 https://www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/2022/11/24/ff22-internet-use/ 
12 With Nigeria, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, Colombia. 

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strengthening  the  enabling  regulatory  environment  to  ensure  projects  deliver  (e.g.  Lobito  Economic 
Corridor,13 Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor14). 

d.  Health 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU played a central role in the rapid development, scale-up 
and  equitable  distribution  of  COVID-19  vaccines,  therapeutics,  and  diagnostics.  Around  two-thirds  of 
vaccine doses produced in the EU – 3.1 billion doses – were exported to the rest of the world. The EU was 
a founding member and strong supporter of the Access to COVID Tools Accelerator and the largest donor 
to  COVAX  –  the  multilateral  initiative  for  global  equitable  access  to  COVID-19  vaccines.  Following  the 
recent mpox outbreak, the EU swiftly mobilised Team Europe to coordinate the donation and delivery of 
vaccines to affected African countries.15 

The EU has adopted a Global Health Strategy16 that aims to deliver better long-term health for people all 
over the world and enhance investment in health. The Strategy highlights the importance of strengthening 
health systems, advancing universal health coverage, and applying a One Health approach. Under Global 
Gateway, the EU has focused on health systems, the security of pharmaceutical supply chains, and the 
development  of  local  manufacturing  through  investment  in  infrastructure  and  a  supportive  regulatory 
environment (e.g. Team Europe Initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health 
technologies in Africa17). 

e.  Education and Research  

A  leading  advocate  for  supporting  education  as  an  essential  engine  of  growth  and  sustainable 
development,  the  EU  has  increased  its  investment  in  the  field  from 7%  to 13%  of  the  EU’s  budget  for 
international  partnerships  in  2021-23.  This  has  positioned  the  EU  as  a  United  Nations  (UN)  Global 
Education Champion. At the Global Gateway High-Level Event on Education18 that it convened in Brussels 
in April 2024, the EU signed regional and bilateral programmes worth EUR 245 million. 

Key flagship initiatives under Global Gateway focus on (1) equity and basic education for girls (92% of the 
commitments have targeted gender equality since 2021), (2) teachers’ training, (3) Vocational Education 
and Training. According to the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – 
Global Europe, 20% of the EU’s external budget in 2021-27 should be dedicated to human development 
and social inclusion, including education and health. The EU is also leveraging the Erasmus+ programme 
to strengthen education quality and skills development. 

13 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/lobito-corridor-connecting-democratic-
republic-congo-and-zambia-global-markets-angola_en 
14 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/global-gateway-eu-and-central-asian-
countries-agree-building-blocks-develop-trans-caspian-transport-2024-01-30_en 
15 https://health.ec.europa.eu/latest-updates/first-delivery-mpox-vaccine-doses-arrives-democratic-republic-
congo-2024-09-05_en 
16 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7153 
17 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/team-europe-initiatives/team-europe-initiative-
manufacturing-and-access-vaccines-medicines-and-health-technologies-africa_en 
18 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/global-gateway-high-level-event-education_en 

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3.  Fragile countries 

Fragility is at a ten-year high: 24% of the world’s population today lives in fragile contexts.19 The EU engages 
in conflict areas, fragile countries, and other complex settings with the primary objective of addressing 
the root causes of fragility while providing access to life-saving basic services and promoting the resilience 
of populations, along the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus. 

In politically estranged settings, notably the central Sahel and Afghanistan, the EU has pursued a flexible, 
pragmatic and principled approach. This involves remaining engaged to defend EU interests and values, 
maintaining projects that benefit the population, especially the most vulnerable groups, and remaining 
open  to  dialogue  with  the  authorities  without  legitimising  military  juntas  or  other  unrecognised 
governments. It aims to prevent further destabilisation, which would directly affect Europe (e.g. terrorism, 
violent extremism, organised crime, drugs and arms trafficking, irregular migration). 

The EU has launched an internal reflection on how to best approach fragile and conflict-affected contexts, 
integrating  the  political,  economic,  security,  migration,  humanitarian,  and  human  development 
dimensions  in  line  with  the  EU  Integrated  Approach  to  external  conflicts  and  crises.20  The  growing 
complexity  of  these  contexts  calls  for  joint  approaches  that  address  humanitarian  needs,  sustainable 
development, and peacebuilding. The Team Europe approach needs strengthening in order to increase the 
coherence and consistency of EU action. The EU is also working with the UN, the World Bank Group and 
the  International  Monetary  Fund  to  make  the  most  of  each  other’s  comparative  advantages  and 
strengthen political alignment. 

4.  Migration  

The  EU has over the  past five years made significant progress on the external dimension of migration, 
working in a Team Europe approach to deepen comprehensive partnerships based on mutual interests. It 
has  scaled  up  its  work  to  provide  a  comprehensive  response,  building  on  the  experience  of  the  EU 
Emergency  Trust  Fund  for  Africa21  and  addressing  root  causes  of  irregular  migration  and  forced 
displacement.  The  EU  has  also  accelerated  efforts  to  help  partner  countries  enhance  their  national 
migration governance and border management, prevent irregular arrivals and loss of lives, fight migrant 
smuggling and trafficking in human beings, improve return, readmission  and sustainable reintegration, 
and further develop legal pathways, all while asserting the importance of respect for fundamental rights 
and  international  law.  It  launched  two  Team  Europe  Initiatives  focused  on  the  Atlantic/Western 
Mediterranean and the Central Mediterranean migratory routes.22  

19 https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/states-of-fragility-2022_c7fedf5e-en.html 
20 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/integrated-approach-external-conflicts-and-crises_en 
21 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding-and-technical-assistance/funding-instruments/trust-
funds_en#the-eu-emergency-trust-fund-for-africa-eutf 
22 The Atlantic/Western Mediterranean Route Team Europe Initiative brings together EU, Belgium, Czech Republic, 
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, The 
Gambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria. The Central Mediterranean Route Team 
Europe Initiative brings together EU, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Malta, 
Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Niger, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, 
Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Nigeria. 

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The external dimension of migration is an essential component of the Pact on Migration and Asylum,23 
which promotes a whole-of-government and whole-of-route approach to migration management. In line 
with the Pact, the EU has increased its engagement with partner countries (of origin and transit) in support 
of  comprehensive  Migration  Partnerships  (e.g.  Mauritania,  beyond  the  EU  neighbourhood24).  These 
partnerships integrate all aspects of EU policy and cooperation, including actions under Global Gateway 
that  help  build  inclusive  growth  and  jobs,  providing  economic  opportunities  for  young  people  in  their 
home countries. 

The  Common  Implementation  Plan  for  the  Pact  on  Migration  and  Asylum,25  adopted  in  June  2024, 
encourages Member States to plan actions that can enhance this Team Europe engagement with key third 
countries, building on their experience and privileged relationships. 

10% of the international partnerships budget has been indicatively earmarked for migration and forced 
displacement-related actions over the programming period 2021-27. Over 190 actions are currently being 
implemented, worth EUR 5.3 billion, notably in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. 

The  EU  has  also  invested  in  thematic  areas  of  concern,  such  as  fighting  organised  crime,  by  building 
strategic coalitions with partner countries and other stakeholders. It will continue to build on the Global 
Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling.26 

In November 2023, the EU also launched the Skills and Talent Mobility Package to help address labour and 
skills shortages and promote legal pathways from non-EU countries. Talent partnerships were launched 
with key partner countries. 

5.  Multilateral engagement 

a.  UN, G7/G20, International Financial Institutions  

Amidst  renewed attacks against  multilateralism, the EU has continued to engage  with major players in 
multilateral fora and to foster strategic dialogue with the UN and key multilateral partners, notably the 
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and 
Development.  The  EU  has contributed  to  reinvigorating  the  multilateral order by working  with the  UN 
leadership and others to implement the 2030 Agenda and ensure adoption of the Pact for the Future at 
the UN Summit of the Future. Through Global Gateway, it remains at the forefront of efforts to advance 
the Sustainable Development Goals, as illustrated by the first EU Voluntary Review presented at the 2023 
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.27 It has also worked with the G7 to coordinate 
major  infrastructure  initiatives  under  the  umbrella  of  the  Partnership  for  Global  Infrastructure  and 
Investment. 

The EU played an active role in the G20, supporting the inclusion of sustainable development issues in the 
agenda –  e.g. global  action  against  climate  change, creation of the  Global Alliance  against  Hunger and 

23 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/pact-migration-and-asylum_en 
24 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/pt/ip_24_1335 
25 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_3161 
26 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6081 
27 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3801 

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Poverty.28 It backed the African Union’s bid for a permanent seat at the G20, and showed leadership in 
fighting inequalities. It has also actively contributed to discussions on sustainable finance and reform of 
the  international  financial  architecture.  It  played  an  important  role  at  the  climate  and  biodiversity 
Conferences  of  Parties,29  as  well  as  in  the  negotiations  of  the  Agreement  on  the  Conservation  and 
Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.30 Under the UN Panel 
on  Critical  Energy  Transition  Minerals,  it  contributed  to  defining  non-binding  principles  for  a  just  and 
sustainable global clean energy transition. At the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing 
States,31 it renewed its solidarity with partners that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. 

b.  Global Funds  

Since 2019, the EU has been a major contributor to a range of global funds in sectors such as education 
(largest contributor to the Global Partnership on Education with a pledge of EUR 700 million over 2021-
27), health (largest contributor to the Pandemic Fund with EUR 427 million committed; EUR 300 million 
contribution  to  Gavi  –  the  Vaccine  Alliance;  EUR  715  million  contribution  to  the  Global  Fund  to  fight 
Tuberculosis and Malaria), climate (EUR 100 million to the Adaptation Fund; EUR 25 million to the Loss 
and Damage Fund) and road safety (contribution of over EUR 2 million to the UN Road Safety Trust Fund). 
The EU has worked to better align this action with Global Gateway priorities and ensure full visibility of 
our collective pledges. 

c.  Samoa Agreement  

In November 2023, the EU, its Member States, and the Member States of the Organisation of the African, 
Caribbean  and  Pacific  States  –  representing  1.5  billion  people  –  signed  the  successor  to  the  Cotonou 
Agreement: the Samoa Agreement.32 The Samoa Agreement entered in provisional application in January 
2024;  77  out  of  the  79  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific  States  have  now  signed  it.  It  modernises  the 
partnership  framework  and  strengthens  our  capacity  to  address  global  challenges  together  over  the 
coming 20 years. It will now be implemented through regional protocols, applying the partnership to the 
different  sub-regions.  In  February  2024,  the  Joint  Parliamentary  Assembly  and  the  three  Regional 
Parliamentary Assemblies held their first plenary session in Angola. 

6.  Horizontal priorities: human rights, inequalities, gender, youth, disability 

Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are a cornerstone of the EU’s external action. In a global 
context  of  shrinking  civic  and  democratic  space,  the  EU  has  upheld  its  unconditional  support  to  the 
protection and promotion of human rights, including gender equality and democracy. The Action Plan on 
Human  Rights  and  Democracy  2020-2733  has  reinforced  the  EU’s  effort  to  uphold  human  rights  and 
democracy across its external action. 

Combatting inequalities and empowering women and youth are horizontal priorities for the Commission. 
Rising  inequalities  hinder  progress  across  all  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals.  Yet  the  COVID-19 

28 https://www.g20.org/en/tracks/sherpa-track/hunger-and-poverty 
29 https://unfccc.int/; https://www.cbd.int/cop 
30 https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en 
31 https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024 
32 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/samoa-agreement/ 
33 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-action-plan-human-rights-and-democracy-0_en 

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pandemic  caused  the  largest  rise  in  inequalities  globally  in  three  decades.34  In  2023,  the  Commission 
launched an innovative Inequality Marker35 to better understand, track, and benchmark the impact of its 
actions on reducing inequalities. It showed that 59% of all new interventions funded by the international 
partnerships budget in 2023 had a substantial focus on reducing inequalities. 

The Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action (GAP III)36 commits to 
85%  of all new  external actions contributing to gender equality by 2025. By 2022, 72%  of EU external 
actions already had gender equality as a main or significant objective. 

In 2021, the EU set up a Youth Sounding Board37 to provide direct input on EU partnership priorities; it has 
deployed  similar  structures  at  country  level.  In  October  2022,  the  Commission  launched  its first  Youth 
Action Plan in EU External Action38 to engage, empower, and connect youth worldwide. Special Advisers 
on Youth have supported the EU in these efforts. 

In  2021,  the  EU  updated  its  “Toolbox  for  placing  rights-holders  at  the  centre  of  EU’s  Neighbourhood, 
Development and International Cooperation”, that includes Guidance on disability inclusion in external 
action.39 By 2023, 41% of EU external actions were disability-inclusive to varying extents. 

7.  By region  

a.  Africa  

Africa is home to about half of the world’s 20 fastest growing economies, a young and dynamic workforce, 
and abundant natural resources. Yet it lacks investments, is very exposed to environmental degradation 
and climate change, and suffers from war and political instability. Starting in 2020 with the adoption of the 
Joint Communication on a Comprehensive Strategy with Africa,40 the EU has strengthened its partnership 
with the continent. At the 6th EU-African Union Summit of February 2022, both parties agreed to a Joint 
Vision  for 2030,41  backed  by  a  EUR  150  billion  Global Gateway  Africa-Europe  Investment  Package.  The 
Africa-EU  partnership  promotes  the  green  and  digital  transitions,  human  development,  sustainable 
migration management, regional economic integration, and a rule-based international order. 

Port of Cotonou 

The Port of Cotonou is one of the most important maritime hubs in West Africa, strategically located 
between Lomé and Lagos. Since 2018, it is managed by the Port of Antwerp Bruges International, that 

34 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/inequality/ 
35 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/2faa22b4-a8fb-11ed-b508-01aa75ed71a1/language-
en/format-PDF/source-280515442#:~:text=The%20I-
Marker%20is%20a%20fundamental%20tool%20for%20the,inequality%20reduction%20is%20an%20objective%20of
%20development%20intervention 
36 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_2184 
37 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/youth/youth-sounding-board_en 
38 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_5882 
39 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/events/human-rights-based-approach-eu-
toolbox-placing-rights-holders-centre-international-partnerships-2021-09-16_en 
40 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020JC0004 
41 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/54412/final_declaration-en.pdf 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
has launched a modernisation and expansion effort, turning Cotonou into a pole of excellence in terms 
of logistics and digitalisation. The EU, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands acting in a Team Europe 
approach have already mobilised over EUR 200 million to upgrade the facility, the services it provides, 
and  its  connection  to  the  hinterland.  This  includes  simplification  and  modernisation  of  customs 
processes, investment  in governance and competitiveness, and support to the construction of a new 
fishing terminal. 

The  implementation  of  the  Investment  Package  is  advancing  well  in  all  Global  Gateway  priority  areas: 
greening  (four  of  the  14  strategic  partnerships  on  raw  materials  value  chains;  Africa-EU  Green  Energy 
Initiative), digital (Africa-Europe Digital Innovation Bridge 2.0; Digitalisation4Development Hub), transport 
(Memorandum  of  Understanding  on  the  economic  corridor  connecting  Angola’s  Lobito  Port  to  the 
Democratic  Republic  of  the  Congo  and  Zambia),  health  (Team  Europe  Initiative  on  Manufacturing  and 
Access  to  Vaccines,  Medicines  and  Health  Technologies,  African  Vaccines  Manufacturing  Accelerator), 
education and research (Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa). 

Green hydrogen in Namibia 

Namibia is home to major wind and solar energy resources, as well as substantial deposits of rare earth 
and other minerals, that could form the backbone of a competitive green industrial economy. In 2022, 
it  was  the  first  country  in Africa to establish  a strategic  partnership with the  EU  on  sustainable raw 
materials value chains and renewable hydrogen.42 An implementation roadmap was agreed at the 2023 
Global Gateway Forum. The strategic partnership is implemented via a Team Europe Initiative bringing 
together  EU,  EIB,  Germany,  Netherlands,  Belgium,  and  Finland.  A  pipeline  of  seven  Green  Hydrogen 
projects has been identified, for a total potential investment of up to EUR 20 billion. In parallel, the EU 
supports  the  National  Green  Hydrogen  Programme,  with  a  focus  on  regulatory  alignment,  capacity 
building  and  skills  development.  Global  Gateway  also  frames  the  cooperation  between  the  Port  of 
Rotterdam, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Namport. 

Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa 

Africa will need over 15 million additional teachers in order to achieve universal primary and secondary 
education  by  2030.  The  Regional  Teachers  Initiative  for  Africa,43  launched  in  January  2023,  brings 
together  the  EU  and  several  EU  Member States,  the African  Union  and  UNESCO.  It  helps  bridge the 
teachers’ gap and achieve a more competent, motivated and inclusive teacher workforce able to offer 
quality learning. 

b.  Asia-Pacific 

Asia is steadily moving towards becoming the centre of the global economy. Over the past five years, the 
EU has pursued a tailored approach to its different sub-regions. 

42 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6683 
43 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/regional-teachers-initiative-africa_en 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It has developed strong bilateral and regional partnerships in Central Asia. Since the adoption of the EU-
Central Asia Strategy,44 we have raised the frequency and level of our political engagement. At regional 
level,  the  EU-Central  Asia  Roadmap  for  Deepening  Ties  between  the  EU  and  Central  Asia  is  under 
implementation.45 At bilateral level, major developments include the Memoranda of Understanding on 
critical raw materials with Kazakhstan (2022) and Uzbekistan (2024).46 

Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor 

Under Global Gateway, the EU is working to turn the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor into a modern, 
competitive and efficient route connecting Europe and Asia in no more than 15 days. It will strengthen 
the role of Central Asia as a connectivity hub and foster economic cooperation and regional integration 
among the five Central Asian countries, while connecting the region more closely  to Europe. The EU, 
Member States and European Financial Institutions, acting in a Team Europe approach, will support the 
Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor through various regional programmes, as well as blending operations 
and  loan  guarantees.  Participants  to  the  January  2024  EU-Central  Asia  Transport  Investors  Forum 
committed  to  mobilise  EUR  10  billion  (ongoing  and  planned  investments)  for  sustainable  transport 
connectivity in Central Asia, building on a study published in June 2023.47 A Coordination Platform was 
launched in Astana in June 2024. 

The 2021 EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific48 set the partnership framework in that region. 
Joint initiatives were launched in the context of the annual EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Fora. 

The  EU  reinforced  its  bilateral  partnerships  with  India  (EU-India  Strategic  Partnership:  A  Roadmap  to 
2025,49  EU-India  Connectivity  Partnership,  EU-India  Trade  and  Technology  Council)  and  the  rest  of  the 
South Asian region (bilateral Team Europe Initiatives, combined with action to further regional integration 
such as the Global Gateway flagship on South Asia Energy Connectivity). 

The EU established a Strategic Partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2020 and 
hosted  a  Commemorative  Summit  in  2022  to  celebrate  45  years  of  partnership.  It  announced  on  that 
occasion a EUR 10 billion Global Gateway investment package for the region50. 

Digital transformation in the Philippines 

The Copernicus Programme in the Philippines is the EU’s first Earth Observation programme for disaster 
risk management in South-East Asia. Building on a partnership with the European Space Agency, this 

44 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/06/17/central-asia-council-adopts-a-new-eu-
strategy-for-the-region/ 
45 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-central-asia-19th-ministerial-meeting-held-luxembourg-23-october-
2023_en 
46 https://global-gateway-forum.ec.europa.eu/news/global-gateway-forum-eu-and-uzbekistan-forge-strategic-
alliance-critical-raw-materials-partnership-2023-10-25_en 
47 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/international-relations/study-sustainable-transport-
connections-central-asia_en 
48 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_4709 
49 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/45026/eu-india-roadmap-2025.pdf 
50 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7678 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
initiative51 involves establishing a data centre hub hosted by the Philippines Space Agency. Access to 
satellite  data  should  help  improve  environmental  management  and  mitigate  the  effects  of  climate 
change. Through the Digital Economy Package, the EU and Member States, acting in a Team Europe 
approach, will also help the Philippines upgrade connectivity infrastructure to ensure better access to 
Copernicus data. It will provide capacity building on cybersecurity and 5G roll-out, finance scholarships, 
and facilitate technical exchanges. 

Climate action and environmental sustainability have been the focus of EU-Pacific cooperation. The EU-
Pacific Green-Blue Alliance,52 launched in 2021, has been complemented by bilateral action. 

The EU has also enhanced strategic dialogue and technical exchanges with industrialised partners (e.g. 
Connectivity Partnership with Japan, Joint Communication on a Strategic Partnership with the Gulf53). It is 
exploring broader opportunities for cooperation under Global Gateway. 

c.  Latin America and the Caribbean 

Latin America and the Caribbean are essential partners for Europe’s strategic autonomy. Many countries 
in the region have the potential to benefit from global value chains (e.g. they host around 60% of identified 
global lithium reserves), but they need capital, technology, training, and standards to close the investment 
gap. 

Electric Mobility in Costa Rica 

Costa Rica’s  National Decarbonisation Plan aims for a net-zero emission economy  by 2050, with the 
transport sector a primary focus. In the context of the Global Gateway Investment Agenda for  Latin 
America and the Caribbean, the EU, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, 
acting in a Team Europe approach, offer technical, financial, and industrial support to help Costa Rica 
electrify its public transport. This includes modernising the bus system, electrifying passenger trains, 
and enhancing infrastructure for e-mobility.54 

The July 2023 Summit with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States signalled a fresh start 
in  the  partnership:  from  natural  partners  to  partners  of  choice.55  Via  the  Global  Gateway  Investment 
Agenda, the EU committed to mobilise at least EUR 45 billion of investment for the region by 2027. The 
portfolio includes over 130 projects56 in sectors such as renewable energy and hydrogen, ocean and forest 
conservation,  critical  raw  materials,  digital  transition,  health  resilience,  education  and  transport 
infrastructure.  The  EU  has  also  redoubled  efforts  to  engage  Caribbean  partners  on  the  basis  of  three 
strategic partnerships on environmental sustainability, economic resilience and trade,  and governance, 

51 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/digital-transformation-and-connectivity-
initiative-philippines_en 
52 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/green-blue-alliance-pacific_en 
53 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/joint-communication-%E2%80%9Cstrategic-partnership-gulf%E2%80%9D_en 
54 https://global-gateway-forum.ec.europa.eu/news/global-gateway-forum-eu-and-costa-rica-strengthen-their-
partnership-advances-secure-connectivity-2023-10-24_en 
55 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3045 
56 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/initiatives-region/initiatives-latin-
america-and-caribbean_en 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
security and human development. Through the launch of EL PACcTO 2.0,57 it also strengthened its action 
on transnational crime. 

Turning Sargassum into an economic opportunity 

Under the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment  Agenda, the EU, the EIB, France, Germany, Spain and 
Finland launched a Team Europe Initiative that aims to reduce the damage caused by the Sargassum 
alga and integrate it into the circular economy (e.g. cosmetics, fertilisers, biomass). Components include 
research, policy and normative framework, knowledge sharing, monitoring and forecasting, facilitation 
of private sector investment, and public investment.58 

d.  Overseas Countries and Territories 

Support  to  European  Overseas  Countries  and  Territories  includes  investment  in  education,  youth 
empowerment, and transitions towards greener, bluer, and more digitally integrated economies. The EU 
has expanded its cooperation with Greenland with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on 
sustainable Critical Raw Material value chains (November 2023)59 and the opening of a new Commission 
office in Nuuk (March 2024). 

Conclusion  

Amidst a more challenging geopolitical context, climate change and fierce geo-economic competition, the 
EU  has  modernised  its  development  cooperation  model.  Its  international  partnerships  have  become  a 
powerful tool to strengthen resilience both outside and inside Europe. The new approach, underpinned 
by  the  Global  Gateway  strategy,  allows  the  EU  to  contribute  most  effectively  to  the  Sustainable 
Development Goals. 

At the same time, the EU has positioned itself as a global champion for education, youth and the fight 
against inequalities, deployed a new approach to migration management, and tailored its engagement in 
fragile  contexts.  To  deliver  on  this  ambitious  agenda,  it  has  deployed  a  major  methodological 
breakthrough: the Team Europe approach. 

The groundwork has been laid. Global Gateway as a strategy and brand has gained traction inside and 
outside the EU. Its implementation is well underway in all regions. More effort will be needed, especially 
when  it  comes  to  leveraging  private  finance,  mobilising  resources  for  Middle  Income  Countries, 
coordinating between and within the different components of the Team Europe approach, and deploying 
the brand. Yet the next College will have a solid basis to take the EU’s international partnerships to the 
next level, in the context of a new economic foreign policy. 

57 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/new-means-fight-transnational-crime-
between-eu-and-latin-america-and-caribbean-launch-el-paccto-20-2024-03-12_en 
58 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/cop28-eu-joins-forces-latin-america-
and-caribbean-combat-sargassum-and-make-it-economic-opportunity-2023-12-
06_en#:~:text=Under%20the%20EU%2DLAC%20Global,algae%20and%20integrate%20them%20into 
59 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6166 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex – Examples of Global Gateway deliverables 

a.  Africa  

•  Port of Cotonou: The Port of Cotonou is one of the most important maritime hubs in West Africa, 
strategically located between Lomé and Lagos. Since 2018, it is managed by the Port of Antwerp 
Bruges International, that has launched a modernisation and expansion effort, turning Cotonou 
into a pole of excellence in terms of logistics and digitalisation. The EU, Belgium, France, and the 
Netherlands acting in a Team Europe approach have already mobilised over EUR 200 million to 
upgrade the facility, the services it provides, and its connection to the hinterland. This includes 
simplification  and  modernisation  of  customs  processes, 
in  governance  and 
investment 
competitiveness, and support to the construction of a new fishing terminal. 

•  Strategic  Corridors  in  Africa:  The  EU  and  Member  States  promote  sustainable  transport  and 
connectivity  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  along  12  strategic  corridors  by  for  example  greening  and 
extending the Dakar and Nairobi public transport networks, modernising the port of Cotonou or 
rehabilitating the Dakar-Abidjan Road. The EU also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 
Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola on the Lobito Corridor. 

•  Green hydrogen in Namibia: Namibia is home to major wind and solar energy resources, as well 
as  substantial  deposits  of  rare  earth  and  other  minerals,  that  could  form  the  backbone  of  a 
competitive  green  industrial economy. In 2022, it was the first  country in Africa to establish a 
strategic  partnership  with  the  EU  on  sustainable  raw  materials  value  chains  and  renewable 
hydrogen.  An  implementation  roadmap  was  agreed  at  the  2023  Global  Gateway  Forum.  The 
strategic  partnership  is  implemented  via  a  Team  Europe  Initiative  bringing  together  EU,  EIB, 
Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Finland. A pipeline of seven Green Hydrogen projects has 
been identified, for a total potential investment of up to EUR 20 billion. In parallel, the EU supports 
the National Green Hydrogen Programme, with a focus on regulatory alignment, capacity building 
and  skills  development.  Global  Gateway  also  frames  the  cooperation  between  the  Port  of 
Rotterdam, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Namport. 

•  Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative: Cooperation on energy transition has advanced considerably 
through the Team Europe Initiative on the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative, launched in 2022. 12 
Member States, EIB and EBRD participate and over EUR 20 billion have been pledged so far for 
2021-27, of which EUR 3.4 billion by the EU. A significant pipeline of energy investments has been 
identified, with varying levels of maturity. 

•  Just Energy Transition Partnerships with Senegal and South Africa: These partnerships aim to 
accelerate  the  decarbonisation of the  partner countries’ economies  and  support  a  just  energy 
transition. 

•  Strategic partnership on raw materials value chains with Namibia, Democratic Republic of the 
Congo, Zambia and Rwanda: Africa is rich in raw materials which are key for the green and digital 
transitions. The partnerships, developed in the context of the external dimension of the EU Raw 
Materials  policy,  aim  to  develop  value  addition  in  partner  countries  and  ensure  secure  and 
sustainable  supply of  raw  and  refined materials.  They  support  the  development  of  the  mining 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
value  chains  locally  and  facilitate  investment  and  funding  opportunities  to  modernise  local 
industries. Global Gateway supports their implementation. 

•  Blue  economy:  In Tanzania,  the  Blue  Economy  Team  Europe  Initiative  focuses  on:  (i) 
environmental protection and climate-resilient  sustainable management of coastal ecosystems; 
(ii) support to sustainable and job-intensive businesses in the blue economy, including productive 
uses of the marine and coastal ecosystems; (iii) transformative governance and policy reforms. 

•  Forest partnership with Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Zambia: They aim to address forests 
in a comprehensive and integrated way. They help protect, restore and ensure the sustainable 
use and management of forests, promote good forest governance, strengthen forest-based value 
chains, stimulate stable and legal business environments and ensure the sustainability of trade in 
forest products and other commodities that drive deforestation. 

•  Digital Economy Packages with Nigeria, Kenya and Democratic Republic of the Congo: With the 
launch  of  digital  economy  packages  the  EU  helps  boost  connectivity,  skills  and  inclusive 
governance in the digital sectors of partner countries. In Kenya, this package will be implemented 
through the Team Europe Initiative on Human Centred Digitalisation. 

•  Digital  Economy  and  Society  for  Sub-Saharan  Africa:  With  the  launch  of  the  Team  Europe 
Initiative on Digital Economy and Society for Sub-Saharan Africa, the EU supports and promotes 
Africa’s  digital  transition  by  addressing  connectivity,  governance,  entrepreneurship  and  skills, 
including as part of the Digital for Development Hub Africa Branch. 

•  Vaccine production in Africa: The Manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health 
technologies  Team  Europe  Initiative  supports  the  African  Union’s  effort  to  promote  local 
manufacturing of vaccines and broader access to health products. Up to now, it has mobilised 
over EUR 2 billion from EU and Member States budget, including support to the African Vaccines 
Manufacturing Accelerator. This initiative addresses the supply side (production), demand side 
(off-take) and enabling environment, as illustrated in Rwanda with the opening of the first mRNA 
facility  in  Kigali  in  December  2023  and  the  launch  of  the  biotechnology  programmes  at  the 
University of Rwanda in April 2023. In Senegal, the MADIBA (Manufacturing in Africa for Disease 
Immunisation and Building Autonomy) project aims to launch vaccine production in 2025. In South 
Africa, the production of COVID-19 vaccines at Aspen Pharmacare has already started. In Ghana, 
DEK Vaccines Limited is setting a fill & finish facility with production expected in 2025. 

•  Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa: Africa will need over 15 million additional teachers in order 
to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030. The Regional Teachers Initiative 
for Africa, launched in January 2023, brings together the EU and several EU Member States, the 
African  Union  and  UNESCO.  It  helps  bridge  the  teachers’  gap  and  achieve  a  more  competent, 
motivated and inclusive teacher workforce able to offer quality learning. 

•  Opportunity-driven  Skills  and  Vocational  Education  and  Training  in  Africa:  The  Team  Europe 
Initiative focusing on opportunity-driven skills and vocational education and training in Africa aims 
to identify decent employment opportunities and demanded skills to orient vocational education 
and training interventions at country level. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
b.  Asia-Pacific  

• 

Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor: Under Global Gateway, the EU is working to turn the Trans-
Caspian Transport Corridor into a modern, competitive and efficient route connecting Europe and 
Asia in no more than 15 days. It will strengthen the role of Central Asia as a connectivity hub and 
foster  economic  cooperation  and  regional  integration  among  the  five  Central  Asian  countries, 
while  connecting  the  region  more  closely  to  Europe.  The  EU,  Member  States  and  European 
Financial Institutions, acting in a Team Europe approach, will support the Trans-Caspian Transport 
Corridor  through  various  regional  programmes,  as  well  as  blending  operations  and  loan 
guarantees.  Participants  to  the  January  2024  EU-Central  Asia  Transport  Investors  Forum 
committed to mobilise EUR 10 billion (ongoing and planned investments) in sustainable transport 
connectivity in Central Asia, building on a study published in June 2023.60 A Coordination Platform 
was launched in Astana in June 2024. 

• 

Sustainable Urbanisation and Green Urban Mobility in India: The EU supports the rehabilitation 
of urban infrastructure with a focus on integrated waste management and climate-sensitive urban 
management.  It  includes  the  implementation  of  integrated,  sustainable  and  energy-efficient 
metro rail systems in Surat and Ahmedabad. 

•  Development of the Port of Lumut in Malaysia: Maritime Industrial City Project to develop the 
Port  of  Lumut  from  a  bulk  to  a  multi-purpose  and  container  port,  as  well  as  create  a  green 
industrial and logistics complex specialised in the production of hydrogen, renewable energy and 
sustainable mid- and down-stream industry. 

• 

• 

• 

Strategic  partnership  on  raw  material  value  chains  with  Kazakhstan  and  Uzbekistan:  Global 
Gateway supports the implementation of partnerships with Central Asian countries endowed with 
raw materials. The EU signed Memoranda of Understanding for strategic partnerships on critical 
raw materials with Kazakhstan (2022) and Uzbekistan (2024). 

South Asia Energy Connectivity: Construction of solar photovoltaic power plants, hydro power 
plants and transmission lines for grid connection through Bhutan; extension of the Chilime-Trishuli 
transmission  line  and  Dudhkoshi  Storage  Hydroelectric  project  in  Nepal;  support  to  the 
development  of  regional  energy  market  and  investment  environment  in  Bangladesh,  Bhutan, 
India, and Nepal. 

Team  Europe  Initiative  on  Green  Energy  Transition  in  Bangladesh:  The  Initiative  supports 
Bangladesh’s green transition through investments in renewable energy generation and energy 
efficiency. During the Global Gateway Forum 2023, Bangladesh and the EU signed agreements 
worth  EUR  400  million  for  renewable  energy  projects  and  five  additional  cooperation  actions, 
worth EUR 70 million, supporting education, decent work, green construction, e-governance and 
the prevention of gender-based violence. 

60 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/international-relations/study-sustainable-transport-
connections-central-asia_en 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• 

Just  Energy  Transition  Partnership  with  Indonesia  and  Vietnam:  These  partnerships  aim  to 
accelerate the  decarbonisation of the  partner  countries’ economies and support a just  energy 
transition. 

•  Construction of the Bac Ai Hydro Pump Storage in Vietnam: Developed in the context of the Just 
Energy Transition Partnership, this project aims to help the Vietnamese government construct a 
four-unit pumped-storage hydropower system. The new system will have a total capacity of 1,200 
megawatts. 

•  Qaliwana-Vatutokotoko  cascading  hydropower  scheme  in  Fiji:  The  EIB  will  support  the 
construction  of  the  Qaliwana-Vatutokotoko  cascading  hydropower  scheme  to  increase  Fiji’s 
renewable energy share, reducing considerably its dependence on fossil fuels. 

• 

• 

Forest  Partnership  with  Mongolia:  The  main  objective  of  the  Partnership  is  to  address  the 
protection, restoration and sustainable management and use of Mongolia’s forests. The Forest 
Partnership’s  Memorandum  of  Understanding  was  signed  by  the  Commission  President  and 
Mongolian President in November 2022. 

Team Europe Initiative Green Blue Alliance for the Pacific and Timor Leste: The Initiative covers 
15  Island  Countries  (including  Papua  New  Guinea,  Timor-Leste),  and  three  French  Overseas 
Countries and Territories. It works on mainstreaming climate ambition and making a sustainable 
use of the Pacific natural capital. 

•  Digital  transformation in  the  Philippines:  The  Copernicus  Programme  in  the  Philippines  is  the 
EU’s first Earth Observation programme for disaster risk management in South-East Asia. Building 
on  a  partnership  with  the  European  Space  Agency, this  initiative61  involves  establishing  a  data 
centre hub hosted by the Philippines Space Agency. Access to satellite data should help improve 
environmental  management  and  mitigate  the  effects  of  climate  change.  Through  the  Digital 
Economy Package, the EU and Member States, acting in a Team Europe approach, will also help 
the Philippines upgrade connectivity infrastructure to ensure better access to Copernicus data. It 
will provide capacity building on cybersecurity and 5G roll-out, finance scholarships, and facilitate 
technical exchanges.  

c.  Latin America and the Caribbean  

•  Electric  Mobility  in Costa Rica:  Costa  Rica’s  National  Decarbonisation Plan aims  for  a  net-zero 
emission economy by 2050, with the transport sector a primary focus. In the context of the Global 
Gateway Investment Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean, the EU, Portugal, Spain, France, 
Germany,  Sweden,  and  the  Netherlands,  acting  in  a  Team  Europe  approach,  offer  technical, 
financial,  and  industrial  support  to  help  Costa  Rica  electrify  its  public  transport.  This  includes 
modernising  the  bus  system,  electrifying  passenger  trains,  and  enhancing  infrastructure  for  e-
mobility. 

61 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/digital-transformation-and-connectivity-
initiative-philippines_en 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  Renewable hydrogen development in Chile: The Team Europe Initiative on Renewable Hydrogen 
in Chile supports the decarbonisation of the Chilean economy, creating green jobs and generating 
business  opportunities  for  Chilean  and  European  companies,  whilst  meeting  Europe’s  own 
demand for import of green hydrogen. It catalyses private investment; supports the development 
of  infrastructure;  promotes  EU  norms  and  environmental,  social  and  governance  standards; 
contributes  to  technology  transfer,  regulatory  reform,  and  training.  The  Ports  of  Rotterdam, 
Antwerp and Hamburg have signed memoranda of understanding with the Chilean Ministry of 
Energy. EU and Member States also provide technical assistance. 

•  EU Latin America and Caribbean Digital Alliance: Launched in March 2023, it encompasses every 
aspect of the digital transition, including the extension of the Bella (Building the Europe Link to 
Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean)  fibre  optic  cable,  digital  backbone  connectivity,  research 
cooperation, regional Copernicus strategy, the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator and policy dialogue on 
cybersecurity. 

•  Connectivity  and  digital  transition  in  Colombia:  Supporting  the  government’s  initiative  to 
improve connectivity from 50 to 85% of the population requires a combination of public policies, 
public and private investments, technology, and community participation. The EU has developed 
a strong dialogue with national institutions, EU Member States and their companies. 

•  Turning Sargassum into an economic opportunity: Under the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment 
Agenda, the EU, the EIB, France, Germany, Spain and Finland launched a Team Europe Initiative 
that aims to reduce the damage caused by the Sargassum alga and integrate it into the circular 
economy  (e.g.  cosmetics,  fertilisers,  biomass).  Components  include  research,  policy  and 
normative  framework,  knowledge  sharing,  monitoring  and  forecasting,  facilitation  of  private 
sector investment, and public investment. 

•  Addressing pollution in the Motagua river basin: The Motagua River is one of the most plastic-
emitting rivers in the world, contributing around two percent of global plastic pollution emissions 
into oceans annually. In a Team Europe  approach, the  EU aims  to improve  sewage  systems at 
municipal level and build water treatment plants. 

•  Partnership on health resilience and vaccine production: The EU launched this  partnership to 
strengthen and harmonise the regulatory environment and develop market integration for health 
products. 

•  Global  Green  Bonds  Initiative  in  the  Dominican  Republic:  In  the  context  of  its  ongoing 
cooperation with the EU, the Government of the Dominican Republic successfully issued its first 
sovereign green bond in July 2024.  

d.  Overseas Countries and Territories 

•  Strategic  partnership  on  raw  material  value  chains  with  Greenland:  A  Memorandum  of 
Understanding  was  signed  in  November  2023. The  EU  will  support promoting  and  facilitating 
investment in Greenland’s Critical Raw Materials. This will help Greenland diversity its economy. 

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