Global Gateway Forum kick starts to boost sustainable investments in infrastructure

October 26, 2023 by European Union Leave a Comment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the first Global Gateway Forum opened in Brussels. It brought together over 40 high-level Government representatives, financial institutions and business representatives to discuss the world’s investment needs, debate solutions and seal new deals. The panel discussions on the first day focused on green energy and hydrogen, research and education, critical raw materials and transport corridors.

President von der Leyen opened the Forum, and stated: “The fate of present and future generations depends, more than ever before, on the quality and quantity of the infrastructure that connects us all. Team Europe has put forward Europe’s largest global investment programme ever: the Global Gateway. Global Gateway is about giving choices to countries – better choices. Because for many countries around the world, investment options are not only limited, but they all come with a lot of small print, and sometimes with a very high price. That is why Global Gateway investments work: they are demand-driven and they are a win-win for all partners involved.” The full speech is available on EbS here and you can also read it here.

On the eve of the Forum, the Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform held its first meeting with Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen. The platform will be a space for civil society and local authorities to engage on Global Gateway rollout within the different investment priorities.

Agreements and announcements made during the first day of the Forum:

Green energy

During the first day of the Global Gateway Forum, several announcements in the field of the green energy transition were made:

€500 million for the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Vietnam, to foster the renewable energy transition in the country.
€400 million to foster renewable energy in Bangladesh under the partnership for Green Energy Transition.
€246 million package in support of a greener and more sustainable future for Cabo Verde, including an energy sustainability loan, support for the Cabeólica wind farm expansion project, upgrades to the country’s port infrastructure and more accessible and affordable internet connectivity across the country.
€146 million to the construction of the Kakono hydropower plant in Tanzania, contributing significantly to both economic development and climate change adaptation.
€60 million for the Green Economy Programme with the Philippines, to assist the country in transitioning towards a sustainable economy.
€20.4 million for the Green and Blue Pact in Comoros to boost the country’s environmental and food resilience.

Additionally, the EU and Mauritania launched a new Team Europe initiative to support investment in the energy transition and decarbonisation of Mauritania’s economy, by developing its green hydrogen industries. Complementing this initiative, the EU has also signed new cooperation actions in 2023, including €13.7 million to promote sustainable food systems and access to quality and affordable food and €10 million to promote blue economy in Mauritania.

Critical raw materials

The roadmap for the EU–Namibia strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains and renewable hydrogen was endorsed on 24 October. Backed by €1 billion in investments by the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions, the roadmap for the period 2023-2025 details the concrete actions in which the partnership will advance its goals, in close cooperation with EU and Namibia financial and private sector stakeholders.

Transport corridors

The EU will also support an upcoming study for the development of the Walvis Bay port in Namibia, the entry point from the Atlantic side to the Walvis Bay – Maputo Corridor, one of the eleven Strategic Corridors the EU envisages to support as part of the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package. With EU support, a masterplan that covers multimodal infrastructure, spatial planning and market organisation will be developed.

The EU also announced a €12 million grant to rehabilitate and modernise two key sections of railway lines in the Republic of Moldova, complemented by a further forthcoming loan of €42 million from the EIB, that will not only enhance internal connectivity in the Republic of Moldova, but also offer a crucial export route for Ukraine, further strengthening the Solidarity Lanes initiative and fostering regional stability and economic resilience, as well as a €16 million blending grant through EIB Global, to improve the road safety in Georgia along Georgia’s East- West highway.

Education

In the education sector, Commissioner Urpilainen signed a €46 million contract as a major step taking forward the roll-out of the Regional Teachers’ Initiative for Africa to support the development and implementation of policies, education and professional development for teachers.

The EU also announced a €10 million grant through EIB Global, to improve education infrastructure in Armenia through the construction of two extra curricula education and teacher training centres in the Southern part of the country.

In addition, €30 million was committed for the Republic of Tajikistan to boost education. Finally, an Annual Action Plan for 2023 and 2024 benefiting Kenya, with an education component, was signed.

For More Information

Global Gateway

Global Gateway Forum

Commission launches Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform

EU and Namibia agree on next steps of strategic partnership

EU launches a Team Europe Initiative to develop green hydrogen in Mauritania and accelerate its energy transition

Team Europe and Cabo Verde present an investment package of €246 million to boost green energy, sustainable transport and digital connectivity transformation

EU and Bangladesh sign €400 million for renewable energy and launch negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

Team Europe and Viet Nam sign over €500 million in agreements underpinning the Just Energy Transition Partnership

EU and Philippines sign €60 million Green Economy Programme

Global Gateway Forum: EU and Comoros sign agreements for €28.9 million to boost national development

Global Gateway Forum: EU boosts employment in Tajikistan with €30 million in budget support

Global Gateway Forum: Tanzania secures funding from EU and French Development Agency for Kakono hydropower plant

Global Gateway Forum: EU takes major step in delivering on the Regional Teachers’ Initiative for Africa

Global Gateway Forum: EU announces €16 million for improving road safety in Georgia along the East-West Highway

Global Gateway Forum: EU announces €12 million for railway lines in the Republic of Moldova

Global Gateway Forum: EU announces over €10 million to support education opportunities in Armenia

Global Gateway Forum: EU launches €72 Million cooperation priorities for Kenya to strengthen the green, digital and inclusive transitions

Quote(s)

The fate of present and future generations depends, more than ever before, on the quality and quantity of the infrastructure that connects us all. Team Europe has put forward Europe’s largest global investment programme ever: the Global Gateway. Global Gateway is about giving choices to countries – better choices. Because for many countries around the world, investment options are not only limited, but they all come with a lot of small print, and sometimes with a very high price. That is why Global Gateway investments work: they are demand-driven and they are a win-win for all partners involved.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Related media

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN agencies step up Ebola response in eastern DR Congo

May 22, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. United Nations agencies have moved swiftly to support efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivering emergency medical supplies, protective equipment and logistics support. As health authorities in both the DRC and Uganda respond to the deadly resurgence, the […]

© UNICEF/Josue Mulala Emergency aid is prepared for delivery to Kasaï province in response to the recently declared Ebola virus disease outbreak in DR Congo.

Ebola risk is high inside DR Congo but it’s no pandemic emergency: WHO

May 21, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda does not represent a global pandemic emergency, although the risk is high at a regional and national level, the UN health agency chief said on Wednesday. In an update on the fast-developing situation in […]

How the Hormuz crisis keeps disrupting kitchens, ports and paychecks

May 20, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran may have eased fears of a wider regional war, but persistent instability around the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global trade, drive up energy costs and fuel a growing jobs and cost-of-living crisis. The fallout is being […]

© UNFPA Ukraine In March 2026, a maternity hospital in Odesa, Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces.

World News in Brief: More attacks in Ukraine, violence against children in Haiti, refugee IDs in Africa

May 19, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Civilians, including humanitarians, continue to face great danger across war-torn Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities, according to the UN humanitarian relief coordination office there, OCHA. Over the past three days, frontline attacks killed at least 11 civilians and injured nearly 200 others, including five children, as reported by […]

UN Photo/Milton Grant Sculpture depicting St. George slaying the dragon. The dragon is created from fragments of Soviet SS-20 andUnited States Pershing nuclear missiles.

Nuclear terror threat ‘has never been so high’

May 19, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The widespread availability of new technology, such as militarised drones and artificial intelligence, means that the current threat of nuclear terrorism is higher than it has ever been. The humanitarian, environmental, and economic consequences of a radiological or nuclear terrorist attack would be global, undermining international peace […]

© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Htet Recent disruptions to energy supplies and global supply chains have reverberated across development and humanitarian sectors, including relief efforts in Myanmar, where millions remain in need of assistance.

Global energy and trade disruption pushing millions towards poverty

May 18, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions to global energy supplies and trade corridors are driving up the cost of food, transport and essential goods worldwide, slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on vulnerable households and debt-strapped developing countries. The warnings came during a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council […]

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher (centre) along with Ambassador Mike Waltz (right) and Jeremy P. Lewin of the United States hold a joint press briefing on funding to the humanitarian system.

UN welcomes $1.8 billion US boost for humanitarian operations

May 15, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. An additional $1.8 billion in US humanitarian funding will allow the United Nations and its partners to expand emergency relief operations reaching millions of people worldwide, as rising global needs and funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance. The funding announcement, made on Wednesday by […]

© WHO/Hanan Balkhy Displaced families are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, surrounded by waste and debris, with limited access to safe water and sanitation services.

World News in Brief: Mounting waste in Gaza, drone attacks in Sudan, aid truck struck in Ukraine

May 14, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Mounting waste and limited access to sanitation sites are deepening health risks for families across Gaza, as humanitarian workers warn that overcrowded dumping areas and worsening living conditions threaten vulnerable communities. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN’s top aid official in Occupied Palestinian Territory visited a dumping site in Gaza […]

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Franco Miguel Nodado, a 4th-year medical student from the Philippines. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Global Health: Bridging the Gap in Awareness, Early Diagnosis, and Inclusive Care

May 13, 2026

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Georgia Maria Vardalachaki, a medical student from the Medical University of Crete, Greece. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s […]

© WHO/Hedinn Halldorsson WHO Director-General Tedros and a health expert during operations involving the MV Hondius off Tenerife amid the hantavirus response.

Hantavirus-hit ship evacuation completed as quarantines begin

May 12, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The passengers and crew have disembarked from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife and many have returned to their home countries, as the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said the operation demonstrated a “triumph of solidarity”. The repatriation effort, coordinated by Spanish authorities with support […]

© NASA The Strait of Hormuz which separates the United Arab Emirates and Iran is a strategically important shipping route

Strait of Hormuz de-escalation is urgent, says UN chief

May 12, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and tensions between Iran and the United States remain unresolved, oil prices rose again early Monday, prompting the UN Secretary-General to call for a peaceful resolution and warn of the widening fallout across Africa and beyond. “My strong appeal is […]

Ukraine: Over 3,000 attacks on healthcare since full-scale Russian invasion

May 11, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified more than 3,000 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency reported on Friday. “During 1,534 days of war, Ukraine’s healthcare system has experienced repeated attacks,” it said. Every aspect of the system has been […]

WHO Passengers from MV Hondius assisted by Spanish and WHO health teams after disembarking.

Passengers leave hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Tenerife as WHO says outbreak ‘not another COVID’

May 11, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Hondius began disembarking in Tenerife on Sunday under a tightly coordinated international health operation led by Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), as officials sought to reassure the public that the outbreak “is not another COVID.” The […]

Nuclear energy in the Middle East: A realistic choice or a risk?

May 11, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. As global electricity demand grows, so does the popularity of nuclear energy. In the Middle East, several countries are evaluating or advancing nuclear power projects, balancing weighty issues such as regional security, climatic conditions and international cooperation. “Nuclear energy is at the intersection of energy demands, technological […]

Bahrain and US float Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz

May 8, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Bahrain and the United States have circulated a draft Security Council resolution calling for Iran to cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, their ambassadors outlined to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday. The text is supported by Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the […]

© CDC An enhanced microscopic image shows the Hantavirus.

Hantavirus outbreak: Another passenger contracts disease

May 7, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. It’s been confirmed that another passenger from the cruise liner linked to the outbreak of hantavirus has contracted the disease, which has claimed the lives of three people on board and sparked an international alert coordinated by the UN World Health Organization (WHO). The individual, who is […]

UN warns of worsening human rights crisis in Mali after deadly attacks

May 6, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The human rights situation in Mali is rapidly deteriorating following coordinated attacks by armed groups across the country, with civilians killed, displaced and cut off from food and aid, UN rights office OHCHR said on Tuesday. The violence, which erupted on 25 and 26 April, saw large-scale […]

© UNICEF A damaged ambulance in Tebnine in southern Lebanon.

In Lebanon, the same fears and dangers persist despite ceasefire: UNHCR

May 6, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday. “Civilians in the south of Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa [Valley] are really living with the […]

© Unsplash/Planet Volumes A computer-generated image shows the Strait of Hormuz.

Uncertainty continues over safety in the Strait of Hormuz

May 5, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Amid claims and counter-claims of strikes and confrontations in the crucial Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the United States, UN maritime officials continue to urge vessels to exercise “maximum caution”. “We are aware of the reports but do not have further details. We continue to urge […]