The EU Global Gateway Strategy Focuses on Investments and Partnerships for a Green Transition
On December 1, 2021, the European Commission (EC), alongside high-level representatives for foreign policy, presented the Global Gateway Strategy (GGS) in a joint communication. The strategy will be implemented through Team Europe Initiatives (TEI) and leveraging of private investments. Currently, the GGS’s focus is on large-volume projects – referred to as flagship initiatives. These initiatives aim to connect partnerships and investment plans from Europe towards the rest of the world.
The GGS aims to mobilise up to EUR 340 billion in investments within the Team Europe approach, supplemented by investments from the private sector. Contributions include:
– The “Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument” (NDICI) will channel up to EUR 135 billion through regional sectors.
– There are grants for the Global Gateway of up to EUR 18 billion and planned investment of up to EUR 145 billion from the EU budget.
– Existing programmes such as Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) III, Interreg, InvestEU and Horizon Europe will also mobilise funds.
Implications for energy
The Global Gateway focuses on five key sectors for investment: the digital, transport, health, education, and energy sector. Affordable and reliable access to energy and raw materials is seen as a prerequisite for economies to function and industries to be competitive. However, to ensure energy investments make a real difference, infrastructure must be designed to respond to the current risks and future threats and be built to standards that will stimulate low emissions.
The EU will mobilise EUR 2.4 billion in grants for Sub-Saharan Africa and EUR 1.08 billion for North Africa to support renewable energy, energy efficiency, a just transition and the greening of local value chains. As a key phase in the Global Gateway Strategy, the deployment of the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative will contribute to the development and integration of regional energy markets and the implementation of a strong continental African Single Electricity Market. The implementation of the Global Gateway will also be part of the discussions at the EU-AU Summit on 17-18 February.
The strategy will also work with partner countries that have the potential to develop their green hydrogen production and promote the creation of a competitive international market for hydrogen.
Learn more about the history and future of the African-European partnership for a green energy future:
