REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 2024 Annual Report on the implementation of the European Union's External Action Instruments in 2023
Date: 2024-11-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, EU migration policy, Russo-Ukrainian issue, activity report, common foreign and security policy, digital transformation, humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, sustainable development, the EU's international role

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 29.11.2024  COM(2024) 548 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL   2024 Annual Report on the implementation of the European Union's External Action Instruments in 2023           {SWD(2024) 267 final}  
 
 
Table of Contents 
GLOBAL COMMITMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 1 

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 

The EU response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine ........................................................ 2 

The EU: a strong global actor .............................................................................................................. 3 

Fostering sustainable development .................................................................................................... 4 

GLOBAL PRIORITIES ................................................................................................................................. 5 

Human development and humanitarian assistance ........................................................................... 5 

Green Deal .......................................................................................................................................... 5 

Digitalisation, science, technology and innovation ............................................................................ 6 

Sustainable growth and jobs ............................................................................................................... 7 

Migration and forced displacement ................................................................................................... 7 

Governance, peace, security, and human rights ................................................................................ 8 

GLOBAL REACH...................................................................................................................................... 10 

Sub-Saharan Africa ............................................................................................................................ 10 

Asia and the Pacific ........................................................................................................................... 10 

The Americas and the Caribbean ...................................................................................................... 11 

European Neighbourhood ................................................................................................................ 11 

Western Balkans and Türkiye ........................................................................................................... 12 

Overseas countries and territories (OCTs) ........................................................................................ 13 

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GLOBAL COMMITMENTS 

Introduction 

This  report  highlights  the  key  elements  of  the  EU’s  foreign  policy  in  2023,  focusing  on  its  support 
through  its  financial  instruments  for  international  partnerships,  humanitarian  aid,  security  and 
defence, foreign policy and enlargement. It outlines the activities under the EU’s multiannual financial 
framework  for  2021-2027,  particularly  under  the  Neighbourhood,  Development,  and  International 
Cooperation Instrument-Global Europe (NDICI-Global Europe), alongside other instruments such as 
the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III)(1) and humanitarian assistance. 

In 2023, the EU’s foreign policy landscape was marked by two devastating conflicts unfolding on its 
borders: Russia’s continuing war of aggression against Ukraine, and, as a consequence of the large-
scale terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel on 7 October, the deteriorating humanitarian situation 
of  Palestinians  in  Gaza  due  to  the  continued  intensification  of  hostilities  and  consequent  Israeli 
military  operation.  Both  presented  direct  security  risks  for  the  EU,  in  a  context  of  rising  global 
geopolitical tensions. 

These developments severely impaired international cooperation at a time when it is needed more 
than  ever,  not  least  to  address  intensifying  global  challenges,  including  food  and  energy  security, 
climate change, poverty and inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean 
(LAC), illegal migration, and to achieve the green and digital transitions. 

In 2023, the EU continued to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, providing unprecedented 
political, financial, economic, humanitarian, legal and military support. It also continued to help the 
partner  countries  around  the  world  to  address  the  global  consequences  of  the  Russian  war  of 
aggression against Ukraine. 

The EU continued to implement its Global Gateway strategy, and more notably the three Economic 
and Investment Plans, to help narrow the global investment gap, support global economic recovery 
and accompany the twin green and digital transitions beyond European borders. 

The EU adapted its humanitarian efforts, including the European Humanitarian Response Capacity, to 
the shifting landscape of global crises, by focusing on delivering immediate responses to ongoing and 
emerging humanitarian emergencies. 

In December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and 
the  Republic  of  Moldova(2),  grant  candidate  status  to  Georgia  on  the  understanding  that  relevant 
steps  are  taken,  and  open  accession  negotiations  with  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  once  it  fulfils  the 
membership criteria.  

The EU has continued to support democracy and human rights across the world, deploying election 
observation missions to Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Maldives, Guatemala, Paraguay, Liberia and Sierra 
Leone, as well as election expert missions and follow-up missions. 

1 For details, see the Staff Working Document Part I, Introduction, accompanying this Annual Report. 
2 Hereinafter ‘Moldova’. 

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The EU’s commitment to global security and defence was also shown by the launch of new civilian 
missions  in  Armenia,  Moldova  and  a  civil-military  initiative  in  the  Gulf  of  Guinea(3),  as  well  as  by 
Common Security and Defence Policy operations in neighbouring countries, Africa and the Red Sea.  

The EU response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine 

The EU continued to give Ukraine unprecedented political, financial, economic, humanitarian, legal 
and military support while deploying sanctions to further weaken Russia’s war machine. In December 
2023, EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. 

In  2023,  the  EU  budget  mobilised  EUR  19.5  billion  in  assistance  to  Ukraine.  This  included  an 
unprecedented support  package of EUR 18 billion in concessional loans under the  Macro-Financial 
Assistance Plus instrument and part of the EUR 1 billion for fast recovery. Guarantee agreements have 
the capacity to unlock over EUR 800 million in investments from the Ukrainian private sector to repair 
and rebuild the country’s economy. EU Member States also provided over EUR 28 billion of military 
support, including via the European Peace Facility.  

EU  humanitarian  and  civil  protection  assistance  helped  alleviate  the  suffering  of  the  Ukrainian 
population and made it possible to restore vital physical infrastructure. The EU mobilised EUR 300 
million  in  humanitarian  assistance  for  Ukraine  in  2023  and  EUR  20 million  for  Moldova.  Nearly  11 
million  people  across  Ukraine(4)  have  received  humanitarian  support  thanks  to  the  EU  and  other 
donors.  The  EU  continued  to  deploy  the  largest,  longest  and  most  complex  Union  Civil  Protection 
Mechanism  operation  in  its  history  and  extended  until  March  2025  the  Temporary  Protection 
Directive for people fleeing the war. The EU has made available EUR 17 billion to host refugees in its 
Member States. 

The Commission has also proposed to set up a dedicated financing instrument – the Ukraine Facility – 
allowing the EU to provide Ukraine with up to EUR 50 billion of predictable and flexible support for 
2024-2027 to assist its recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, in line with its EU path. 

The Commission led the coordination efforts between Ukraine’s donors and established the G7 Multi-
Agency Donor Coordination Platform in January 2023 to coordinate short- and long-term support for 
Ukraine’s relief and reconstruction. 

The 27 EU Member States have acted to isolate Russia politically and economically. In 2023, the EU 
adopted three additional packages of sanctions against Russia and cracked down on circumvention. 
By the end of the year, the EU had adopted a total of 12 packages of sanctions, including individual 
measures against over 1 950 individuals and entities. 

In 2023, over EUR 2 billion were also mobilised to scale up the Solidarity Lanes that enable Ukraine to 
export grain and other agricultural products and import the goods it needs. The EU has also ensured 
duty-free  and  quota-free  treatment  for  Ukrainian  exports  with  Autonomous  Trade  Measures, 
supporting Ukraine’s economy to the tune of EUR 2 billion in additional export revenue. The EU also 
supported the UN-led efforts and those of Türkiye to find an alternative solution to the Black Sea Grain 
initiative (from which Russia withdrew in July 2023). Following a ‘Team Europe’ approach(5), the EU 

3 Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA), EU Partnership Mission in the 
Republic of Moldova (EUPM Moldova) and EU Security and Defence initiative Gulf of Guinea (EUSDI).   
4 Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, December Update (Snapshot as of 31 December 2023) | OCHA (unocha.org) 
5 Team Europe approach and Team Europe Initiatives | Capacity4dev (europa.eu) 

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and its Member States have committed EUR 18 billion in grants for 2021-2024 to support food security 
in partner countries, over EUR 13.5 billion of which have already been disbursed (EUR 7.5 billion in 
2022 and EUR 6.1 billion in 2023). 

Significant support was also provided to Ukraine in the framework of the international actions of the 
Erasmus+  programme. In 2023, Erasmus+  financed, through the external  action instruments, more 
than 3 500 mobility opportunities for Ukrainian higher education students and academic staff to come 
to Europe.   

The EU: a strong global actor 

In 2023, the EU scaled up implementation of its Global Gateway strategy(6) - including the Economic 
and  Investment  Plans  for  the  Western  Balkans,  the  Eastern  Partnership  and  the  Southern 
Neighbourhood - on all continents, promoting smart, clean and secure links in the digital, energy and 
transport sectors, and helping strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. 

The Council endorsed 225 new Global Gateway flagship projects in 2023. In October, the first Global 
Gateway Forum took place, bringing together 20 heads of states and governments, over 70 ministers 
and  heads  of  international  organisations,  leading  CEOs  and  representatives  of  non-governmental 
bodies.  The  Global  Gateway  governance  structure  was  launched,  with  the  first  meetings  of  the 
Business Advisory Group and the Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform. Over a dozen 
Global Gateway business forums were held in partner countries. 

On 15 November 2023, the EU, its Member States, and the 79 Members of the Organisation of African, 
Caribbean and Pacific States signed the Samoa Agreement, the successor to the Cotonou Agreement. 
This new framework will strengthen its signatories’ capacity to address global challenges together, 
from  sustainable  development  and  economic  growth  to  human  rights,  peace and  security,  climate 
change, migration and global health. 

Signing the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding(7) in July 2023 and committing to working on 
a Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership with Egypt gave new impetus to cooperation with these 
partners. 

In  2023, the EU continued to  help make  Europe stronger  in the world by promoting an integrated 
approach  to  security  sector  reform,  and  by  providing  expertise  and  support  for  training  and  for 
strengthening the entire criminal justice chain in partner countries. 

The  EU  and  its  27  Member  States,  in  a  ‘Team  Europe’  approach,  collectively  remain  the  largest 
provider of official development assistance (ODA) with EUR 95.9 billion in 2023, accounting for 42 % 
of global ODA (representing 0.57 % of EU Member States’ gross national income) based on preliminary 
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data. 

The  EU  remained  a  major  global  humanitarian  donor,  providing  humanitarian  assistance  in  114 
countries.  The  European  Humanitarian  Response  Capacity  responded  to  16  crises  affecting  15 
countries  and  allocated  EUR  56  million  to  developing  and  deploying  its  capacities  and  services, 
including Humanitarian Air Bridge operations. A total of EUR 42.95 million in humanitarian emergency 

6 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway_en  
7 ‘Memorandum of Understanding on a strategic and global partnership between the European Union and Tunisia’. 

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funding was mobilised through the Emergency Toolbox to respond to unforeseen events around the 
world in 2023. 

In  2023,  the  Emergency  Response  Coordination  Centre  expanded  further to  become  a 24/7  single 
operational hub, managing the EU’s response to cross-sectoral crises at home and globally. 

The Union Civil Protection Mechanism was enlarged to include Ukraine and Moldova. Besides Ukraine, 
it  was  activated  66  times  worldwide  in  2023  for  various  natural  and  human-induced  disasters, 
including in response to the major earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria in February 2023.  

In December, the EU co-organised the 25th EU-NGO Human Rights Forum together with a network of 
human  rights  NGOs.  The  event  brought  together  300  participants  to  discuss  the  theme  ‘Youth  as 
actors  of  change  for  human  rights’.  In  2023,  the  EU supported  7  618  human  rights  defenders  and 
family members through its emergency fund and the flagship programme ProtectDefenders.eu. 

Fostering sustainable development 

Overall progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda has been severely disrupted over the past 
few  years,  including  because  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  Russia’s  invasion  of  Ukraine.  The 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit of September 2023 was a major opportunity for world 
leaders to recommit to the 2030 Agenda and to accelerate action. The SDGs continue to be at the 
heart  of EU  policymaking. The  Global Gateway strategy  is the main vehicle for this EU effort in its 
external action, and to tackle increasing inequalities. 

At the UN High-level Political Forum in 2023, the EU presented the first EU Voluntary Review on SDGs 
implementation(8). The report details how the EU contributes to progress towards achieving the SDGs, 
and how policy coherence for development helps the EU to implement its SDG strategy. 

At  the  Global  Gateway  Forum,  the  EU  and  partners  signed  many  new  agreements  including,  for 
example,  an  agreement  between  the  European  Investment  Bank  and  Bangladesh  worth  EUR  395 
million for renewable energy projects to boost capacity and access. 

8 European Commission, Secretariat-General, EU voluntary review on progress in the implementation of the 2030 agenda, 
Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2792/343208 

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GLOBAL PRIORITIES 

Human development and humanitarian assistance  

Eradicating poverty remains central to the EU’s international partnerships. It is the primary objective 
of the European Consensus on Development, and a long-term goal for Global Gateway investments. 
Two regional Team Europe initiatives (TEI) focus on reducing poverty and inequality in Sub-Saharan 
Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In 2023, the EU launched the Inequality Marker, 
which is a new tool that can be used to track the inequality reduction impact of EU external action. 

EU  investments  in  education  focused  on  teachers  and  learning,  more  equitable  and  inclusive 
education systems, and skills to enable partner countries to make the most of the fair digital and green 
transitions.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  implemented  measures  to  reinforce  EU  education  and 
training support in around 80 partner countries. In addition, humanitarian support for education in 
emergencies reached EUR 162 million in 2023, benefiting nearly 1.8 million crisis-affected children and 
helping them safely access quality learning. In December 2023, the EU presented a comprehensive 
education pledge at the Global Refugee Forum. 

The Regional Teachers Training initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa was launched in 2023 as one of the 
main education flagships, to improve the education and training of teachers and to make sure that 
schools have enough qualified teachers.  

In  2023,  the  EU  continued  to  help  low-income  countries  access  quality  disease-prevention  and 
response measures through vaccines, treatment and diagnostics, channelling funding through global 
health initiatives such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. The EU deployed major 
Global Gateway programmes, including the TEI on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines & 
health technologies in Africa (MAV+). On the humanitarian side, the EU’s humanitarian health aid to 
the most vulnerable people in fragile contexts reached EUR 334 million in 2023. 

The latest Global Report on Food Crises, co-funded by the EU, shows that over a quarter of a billion 
people  in  59  countries  faced  acute  hunger  in  2023.  The  EU  mobilised  over  EUR  670  million  for 
humanitarian food and nutrition assistance in 2023. 

The EU remains a key global humanitarian donor, providing more than EUR 2.4 billion humanitarian 
assistance in 114 countries during 2023. 

The  EU  adopted  ambitious  commitments  for  the  Water  Action  Agenda  at  the  UN  2023  Water 
Conference,  including  improving  transboundary  cooperation  across  water  basins,  strengthening 
regional integration, reducing source-to-sea pollution and making water a key driver for sustainable 
development, the green transition and peace.  

Two flagship initiatives on transboundary water management in Africa and Central Asia were launched 
in  2023.  They  provide  over  EUR  1.1  billion  for  projects  in  47  countries  involving  18  major 
transboundary water basins. 

Green Deal 

The EU promoted climate action in alignment with the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework on 
Disaster  Risk  Reduction  and  continued  to  support  the  implementation  of  the  Global  Biodiversity 

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Framework. It integrated climate and environmental goals into many sectors, including food systems, 
ocean  governance,  urban  development,  energy,  and  transport,  while  working  with  partners 
throughout the world to expedite a fair green transition. It scaled up actions to tackle the root causes 
of  biodiversity  loss  and  promote  the  conservation,  restoration  and  sustainable  use  of  natural 
resources. It developed roadmaps to implement the five Forest Partnerships signed at COP27 with 
Mongolia, Guyana, Uganda, the Republic of Congo, and Zambia. A new Forest Partnership was signed 
with Honduras. A Team Europe initiative on Deforestation-free Value Chains was launched at COP28 
in Dubai. 

In 2023, the ocean became an increasingly important aspect of EU diplomacy and cooperation in the 
context  of  the  EU  commitment  to  double  external  funding  for  biodiversity  over  2021-2027.  Three 
ocean  related  programmes  worth  a  total  of  EUR  115  million  were  adopted,  in  West  Africa  and 
Southern Africa, addressing ocean governance, sustainable blue economy and marine conservation, 
and enhancing maritime security in Africa. Under the Global Gateway strategy, port infrastructure was 
financed. 

The  Italy-Tunisia  electricity  interconnexion  project  ‘ELMED’  was  established  thanks  to  a  EUR  307.6 
million grant by the Connecting Europe Facility that was approved in August 2023, complemented by 
a financing set-up through the EFSD+ adopted in December, blending a European Commission grant 
with EIB, EBRD and KfW loans to work on infrastructures and the reform of the electricity market. 

At COP28, the EU and 118 countries agreed to triple renewable energy capacity and double the global 
annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. One major achievement was implementing 
the  Africa-EU  Green  Energy  initiative,  which  aims  to  help  generate  at  least  50  GW  of  renewable 
electricity, giving access to electricity to over 100 million additional people in Africa by 2030. 

The Commission has disbursed 90 % (EUR 450 million) of the EUR 500 million allocated in the form of 
budget support, as part of the EUR 1 billion Western Balkans Energy Support Package addressing the 
immediate impact of the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the Western Balkans. 

Digitalisation, science, technology and innovation 

As of 2023, 16 Member States have joined the Digital for Development Hub (D4D Hub) and its four 
branches:  Sub-Saharan  Africa,  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean,  Asia  and  the  Pacific,  and  the 
Neighbourhood. Ten thematic working groups are now promoting the EU’s human centric model of 
digital transformation  through greater  coordination, dialogue  and joint  action. D4D is now the key 
platform to design and support EU-Africa digital partnerships in close cooperation with the Member 
States. It is also a key networking opportunity for players involved, in the perspective of synergising 
all  initiatives  on  digital,  especially  for  Team  Europe  initiatives.  The  D4D  Hub  is  also  playing  an 
increasing role in preparing or supporting bilateral partnerships and diplomatic requests.  

In July 2023, the EU and the African Union adopted a joint Innovation Agenda. 

Cooperation in the digital domain has progressed in a comprehensive manner with the development 
of key digital infrastructures such as the MEDUSA submarine cable project to provide fast and secure 
connectivity between the EU and Northern Africa. 

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At the Global Gateway Forum in October, the European Commission and Finnfund signed the Africa 
Connected  Programme,  a landmark  agreement  to  mobilise more  than  EUR  1  billion  in  sustainable 
investment for digital infrastructure and digital service platforms in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

In  2023,  the  EU4Digital  initiative  supported  the  roll-out  of  broadband  connectivity  in  rural  areas, 
connecting  more  than  300  research  and  education  institutions,  and  benefiting  730  000  students, 
teachers and scientists In the Eastern Partnership countries. 

The  Western  Balkan  Investment  Framework  supported  the  ‘Go  Digital  in  the  Western  Balkans’ 
programme aiming to provide over EUR 177 million in concessional financing to micro-, small, and 
medium-sized enterprises in the region for digitalisation and enhanced competitiveness. 

Sustainable growth and jobs 

The  EU  established  partnerships  on  critical  raw  materials,  cooperating  with  partners  to  develop 
sustainable regional value chains, and scaling up engagement with the private sector. 

The High-level Expert Group on scaling up sustainable finance in low- and middle-income countries, 
mandated  by  the  Commission  as  an  independent  advisory  body,  continued  its work,  publishing  its 
Preliminary Findings & Recommendations report in June(9). The recommendations of the High-Level 
Expert Group will inform the Commission for its future strategy on scaling up sustainable finance in 
EU’s  partner  countries,  while  they  don’t  commit  the  Commission  nor  do  they  preclude  any  policy 
outcomes. 

In 2023, the EU signed a EUR 7 million Financing Agreement for ‘Technical and Vocational Education 
and Training’ in the agro-forestry sector in Timor-Leste to promote green and sustainable economic 
diversification and resilience, and to help young people find jobs. 

Migration and forced displacement 

In 2023, the EU further developed its strategic approach to migration and forced displacement. The 
Commission worked closely with key partner countries, including countries of origin and transit, to 
develop  Action  Plans  for  tailor-made  EU  support  covering  all  four  key  migratory  routes  towards 
Europe. It was also active internationally, including through the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant 
Smuggling launched in November, and at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum in December, at which the 
EU pledged some EUR 9 billion. 

In North Africa, migration pressure increased on all routes in 2023 and in response the EU adopted 
new actions worth EUR 318 million aiming to improve capacities in the areas of protection and social 
cohesion,  migration  governance,  combating  migrant  smuggling  and  trafficking  in  human  beings, 
strengthening border management, facilitating voluntary returns, reintegration and legal migration. 
As to the latter, Talent Partnerships were launched with Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. 

Migratory pressure in the Western Balkans decreased by 31 % in 2023 compared to 2022, thanks to 
concerted action by the EU and its Member States, including via the implementation of the EU Action 
Plan on Western Balkans, part of which was the signature of new status agreements with Albania and 

9 Preliminary Findings & Recommendations, High-level Expert Group on scaling up sustainable finance in low- and middle-
income countries, June 2023.   

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Montenegro, allowing for the deployment of Frontex Standing Corps to support the countries with 
border management. In Türkiye, between 2021 and 2023, an additional EUR 3 billion was provided for 
refugee and host community support, and migration management.  

The EU continued to support Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries as well as internally displaced 
people in Syria. In 2023, it organised two major donor conferences (‘Together for the people in Türkiye 
and Syria’ in March in the aftermath of the February earthquakes as well as the 7th edition of the 
‘Brussels Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region’ in June) that raised over EUR 
16.6 billion from the international community of which EUR 5.3 billion was pledged by the EU. It also 
continued to support Palestinian refugees in the region. 

Support to Ukrainian refugees also continued, including through humanitarian aid and assistance in 
transit,  voluntary  repatriation  and  reintegration  efforts.  EU  support  for  Armenia  addressed  the 
integration needs of over 100 000 Karabakh-Armenians following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in 
September 2023. 

The  Sudan  crisis  uprooted  over  6  million  people,  adding  to  the  3  million  already  displaced  within 
Sudan. By the end of 2023 over 1.5 million people had been displaced into neighbouring countries. 
EUR 30 million in humanitarian assistance were activated to support Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia. 

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the EU strengthened its partnerships with key countries of origin, transit and 
destination, providing support on all aspects of migration and forced displacement.  

The  EU  launched  migration  dialogues  with  Bangladesh  and  Pakistan,  to  help  foster  governmental 
discussions,  enhance  inter-state  dialogue  on  migration  policy  issues,  and  contribute  to  the 
reinforcement  of  international migration  cooperation.  These  dialogues  also  included  the  launch of 
Talent Partnerships. 

The EU also maintained its leading role in the global response to the Venezuelan crisis. In March, it co-
organised the Venezuela Solidarity conference, raising EUR 815 million. 

Governance, peace, security, and human rights 

The EU continued to uphold and advance human rights and democracy, using its multilateral, regional 
and bilateral tools and working with non-governmental bodies. 

The EU made  progress on implementing  its  Gender Action Plan III(10),  improving protection against 
gender-based violence, fostering the inclusion of women in security and peace building, promoting 
participation in public life and improving access to quality education, health and social protection. 

As  part  of  its  humanitarian-development-peace  nexus  approach(11),  the  EU  applied  a  stronger  and 
more focused approach to conflict sensitivity, by, for example, taking initiatives and supporting various 
actions to prevent and combat terrorism, violent extremism, and radicalisation.  

The European Union, in its humanitarian, development, peace, security and diplomatic engagement, 
and  collectively  with  its  Member  States,  is  committed  to  prioritise  the  protection,  wellbeing  and 
empowerment  of  children  affected  by  armed  conflict,  addressing  their  specific  needs  and 
vulnerabilities without discrimination on any grounds. 

10 Joint mid-term report on the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan III – European Commission (europa.eu) 
11 Resilience and Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus - European Commission (europa.eu) 

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In 2023, the EU deployed 14 civilian Common Security and Defence Policy missions in the Middle East, 
Africa, South-Eastern and Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. It also continued to support peace 
and  security  in  the  Sahel, the  Horn of  Africa, the Middle  East,  Central  Asia, the  Gulf,  the Western 
Balkans  and  the  South  Caucasus  through  the  work  of  10  EU  Special  Representatives  and  through 
cooperation programmes. 

The coordination network of the Global Team Europe initiative on Democracy, comprising 14 Member 
States and non-governmental bodies, was inaugurated in June 2023. A Global Initiative on Impunity 
was  established  to  improve  global  capabilities  and  coordination  in  monitoring,  denouncing,  and 
seeking accountability for international crimes and the gravest human rights violations. 

EU election observation is a crucial tool for strengthening democratic institutions and upholding the 
principles  of  the  rule of  law.  In  2023, the  EU  deployed  15  electoral missions (election  observation 
missions, election expert missions, and election follow-up missions) and supported non-governmental 
bodies monitoring of electoral processes. 

2023 marked the first year of the implementation of the Youth Action Plan in EU external action (2022-
2027), putting young people at the heart of EU external action as participants for positive change. 
Over 30 youth sounding boards were set up in EU Delegations.  

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GLOBAL REACH 

Sub-Saharan Africa  

The EU is Africa’s leading partner in many areas, from trade, investment and security to  the green 
transition  and  digital  transformation.  It  supported  the  African  Union’s  request  for  permanent 
membership of the G20, thereby helping it to fully integrate into this multilateral forum. 

In Central Africa, the EU began implementing its new Great Lakes strategy, adopted in February 2023, 
and  continued  to  support  the  difficult  transition  process  in  Chad.  It  deployed  an  electoral  expert 
mission  to  the  Democratic  Republic  of  the  Congo  (DRC)  during  the  general  elections  in  December 
2023.  

In the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region, the EU further deepened its partnerships, holding 
ministerial meetings with South Africa and Angola and signing with Angola the first ever Sustainable 
Investments Facilitation Agreement worldwide.  

The EU also launched the Global Gateway Lobito Corridor project linking Angola, Zambia and the DRC, 
aiming to support investments in infrastructure, implement trade and transit-facilitating measures, 
foster economic development, and create local value added and jobs. 

In East Africa, the EU works in the framework of the Horn of Africa Initiative, a regional initiative led 
by the Ministers of Finance aiming at promoting regional economic integration with the support of 
donor partners(12). The EU contribution to this initiative is around EUR 1 billion. On top of this, the EU 
signed  an  Economic  Partnership  Agreement  with  Kenya  to  strengthen  economic,  political,  and 
environmental cooperation.  

The EU launched a security and defence initiative to help the West African countries of the Gulf of 
Guinea address spillover risks from the Sahel to the West African coastal states. The initiative brings 
together prevention, stabilisation, security, economic development and humanitarian assistance in 
line with the needs expressed by the partner countries. 

Asia and the Pacific  

In  2023,  the  EU-ASEAN  (Association  of  Southeast  Asian  Nations)  plan  of  action  to  implement  the 
strategic  partnership  (2023-2027)  made  progress,  which  was  reviewed  at  the  EU-ASEAN  Post-
Ministerial Conference in Jakarta in July. The EU presented 22 Global Gateway initiatives at the ASEAN 
Indo-Pacific Forum in September.  

Free trade agreement negotiations with Indonesia were expedited and those with Thailand resumed, 
while negotiations on a digital trade agreement with Singapore began.  

The EU worked closely with the ASEAN chair, Indonesia, to address the situation in Myanmar/Burma 
and continued to back ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus to tackle this crisis. 

In Afghanistan, a review of basic needs and humanitarian aid was launched, and a set of guidelines 
devised with an overarching ‘for women by women’ principle enabling the EU to continue operations 
supporting the Afghan population.  

12  The  EU,  World  Bank,  African  Development  Bank,  BMZ  –  the  German  Federal  Ministry  for  Economic  Cooperation  and 
Development – and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. 

10 

 
 
 
In  June  2023,  the  EU’s  first  ever  EUSR  for  the  Gulf  was  appointed  and  the  27th  EU-GCC  (Gulf 
Cooperation Council) Joint Council was held in Muscat in October with very positive outcomes.  

In  September  2023,  the  EU  adopted  two  contributions  to  the  regional  Team  Europe  initiatives  in 
Central Asia, respectively on Digital Connectivity and on Water-Energy-Climate Change, worth EUR 20 
million each. 

In  April  2023,  the  EU  launched  the  Copernicus  programme  in the  Philippines,  contributing  EUR  10 
million to the Philippines Digital Connectivity Team Europe initiative. 

The Americas and the Caribbean 

In June 2023, the Commission and the High Representative adopted the Joint Communication ‘A New 
Agenda for Relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean’(13), making the case for a 
stronger,  modernised  partnership  through  greater  political  engagement,  in  particular  with  the 
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).  

The  EU-CELAC  Summit  held  in  Brussels  in  July  brought  together,  for  the  first  time  in  eight  years, 
leaders  of  all  countries  from  both  regions  who  committed  to  renewing  and  modernising  the  bi-
regional partnership. The EU-CELAC roadmap for 2023 to 2025 was presented, and an EU-Caribbean 
leaders’ meeting was held in the margins of the Summit. 

At  the  Summit,  the  EU,  as  part  of  its  ‘Team  Europe’  approach,  also  presented  a  Global  Gateway 
investment agenda for the region worth EUR 45 billion up to 2027, covering various areas including 
renewable energies, transport, digital transformation and pharmaceutical innovation. 

Memoranda of Understanding on deepening cooperation on energy with Uruguay and Argentina and 
on cooperation on critical raw materials with Argentina and Chile were agreed upon. The EU-Chile 
Advanced Framework Agreement, the most modern and ambitious agreement  to date with a LAC 
country, was signed in December after five years of negotiations. 

Haiti is the largest recipient of EU assistance in the Caribbean region. In 2023, 5.2 million Haitians were 
in a dire humanitarian situation, with 1.9 million of them needing protection. 

European Neighbourhood 

In the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine overshadowed 2023. 
However, in 2023 the EU also deepened relations with partner countries, culminating in the decision 
in December to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova (to which a support package 
was also presented to address the impact on Moldova of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine 
and to bring the country closer to the EU), and give Georgia candidate country status. 

The  Annual  Eastern  Partnership  foreign  affairs  ministerial  meeting  in  December  reaffirmed  the 
validity of the ‘recovery, resilience and reform’ agenda and its importance for regional cooperation.  

13 JOIN(2023) 17 final of 7 June 2023 

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As  of  December  2023,  the  Economic  and  Investment  Plan  (EIP)  for  the  Eastern  Partnership  had 
mobilised EUR 7.5 billion of investments in its five priority areas: economy and connectivity; rule of 
law and security; environment and climate; digital; and fair and inclusive societies. 

Following Azerbaijan’s military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, which caused the 
displacement of 100 000 Karabakh Armenians needing to be integrated in Armenia, the Commission 
provided emergency and long-term support to Armenia, including humanitarian assistance packages, 
budget  support,  further  investments  via  the  EIP,  and  repurposing  of  bilateral  and  regional 
programmes. 

The situation in the Southern Neighbourhood remained volatile. The Hamas’ terrorist attacks against 
Israel on 7 October 2023 and their aftermath have added to the region’s protracted fragilities. Despite 
the challenging context, the EU continued to demonstrate its commitment to supporting its partners 
in the region. 

The Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbourhood had mobilised EUR 23.8 billion 
in investments by December 2023 in the strategic priority areas in the sectors of sustainable energy, 
water and infrastructure. 

At  the  regional  level,  due  to  the  situation  after  7  October,  the  2023  EU-Southern  Neighbourhood 
ministerial meeting, initially scheduled for 27 November, was postponed, while the eighth Union for 
the  Mediterranean  Regional  Forum  (Barcelona,  27  November  2023)  ended  up  focusing  on  the 
situation in Israel and Gaza.  

The EU gave urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza most in need and quadrupled its humanitarian 
assistance in 2023 to more than EUR 100 million. A EUR 118.4 million assistance package was adopted 
in December to support the Palestinian Authority. 

The EU collectively remains the largest donor of humanitarian aid for Syria. In 2023, it organised two 
major donor conferences(14) that raised over EUR 16.6 billion. 

Western Balkans and Türkiye 

The key policy framework for disbursement of IPA III funds is the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) 
and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.  

The  EIP  is  largely  implemented  by  the  Western  Balkans  Investment  Framework  (WBIF),  which 
combines Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) funds with loans to support socio-economic 
convergence.  

As of December 2023, the WBIF Board endorsed 59 flagship investments of the EIP, totalling EUR 8.9 
billion, including EUR 2.6 billion of IPA grants. 

In  November,  the  European  Commission  proposed  a  new  growth  plan  for  the  Western  Balkans 
together with the EUR 6 billion Reform and Growth Facility that aims to accelerate the Western Balkan 
partners’ integration to the EU by offering some of the benefits of EU membership in advance of their 
accession and to accelerate reforms on the fundamentals of the EU accession process.    

14 The International Donors’ Conference ‘Together for the people in Türkiye and Syria’ (16 March 2023) and the ‘7th 
edition of the Brussels Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region’ (14-15 June 2023). 

12 

 
 
 
The  EU  also  continued  the  roll-out  of  the  EUR  1  billion  Energy  Support  Package  announced  in 
December  2022  to  mitigate  the  immediate  effects  of  the  energy  crisis  and  accelerate  the  energy 
transition in the region in the short- and medium terms. 

In 2023, the  EU  and  Türkiye  continued to  re-engage in key areas  of mutual interest. In  November 
2023, the Commission and the High Representative presented the Joint Communication on the State 
of  play  of  EU-Türkiye  political,  economic  and  trade  relations(15),  which  proposes  to  the  European 
Council specific  actions to energise key areas of cooperation.  After  the devastating earthquakes  in 
February 2023, an International Donors’ Conference, organised by the Commission and the Swedish 
EU Council Presidency, generated EUR 7 billion in pledges. Using the Turkish Investment Platform, the 
Earthquake Reconstruction Framework Loan was made possible thanks to the guarantee provided by 
the European Commission. The loan agreement of EIB is expected to generate approximately EUR 1.55 
billion in investments in earthquake affected areas. 

Overseas countries and territories (OCTs) 

The OCTs have special constitutional links with three EU Member States (Denmark, France and the 
Netherlands) and play an increasingly strategic role for the EU as ambassadors in their regions. They 
also have significant assets, such as vast exclusive economic zones, and host strategic infrastructure. 

In Greenland, the target is to increase renewable energy in the public electricity provision to 90 % of 
the total in the coming years. Since 2023, the EU also looks to team up with Greenland in the domain 
of  raw  materials,  critical  for  the  clean  energy  transition.  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding 
establishing a Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains was signed between the EU and 
Greenland in November 2023. 

The EU has earmarked financial support of EUR 500 million for OCTs for 2021-2027 to contribute to 
their  economic  and  social  development  and  to  help  tackle  challenges  such  as  climate  change  and 
biodiversity loss.  

In  2023,  an  EU  budget  support  operation,  ‘Empowering  youth  to  reinforce  the  sustainable 
development of the island’, helped to train 421 young people in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French 
OCT in the Atlantic, and boost entrepreneurship and employment among young people there.  

15 JOIN(2023) 50 final of 29 November 2023. 

13