The second edition of the Global Gateway Forum was held this week in Brussels, bringing together 12 Heads of State and Government and over 70 ministers from around the world. The event highlighted the achievements of Global Gateway in creating smart, clean connections and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with countries worldwide.
President Ursula von der Leyen opened the forum by announcing that Team Europe—which includes EU institutions, Member States, and development banks—has already mobilized over €306 billion in investments, surpassing the original €300 billion target two years ahead of schedule. She expressed confidence that this figure will exceed €400 billion by 2027, emphasizing the importance of aligning strategic priorities and channeling investments for maximum impact.
A major focus of the forum was integrating the private sector into Global Gateway investments. President von der Leyen noted that governments alone cannot bridge the financing gap for critical projects and highlighted the role of private companies in providing funding and expertise. To facilitate private sector engagement, she announced the creation of the Global Gateway Investment Hub, a single-entry platform for companies to propose investment opportunities.
President von der Leyen also met with World Bank President Ajay Banga, agreeing to enhance cooperation between their institutions and support 18 Global Gateway projects across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America.
On the sidelines of the forum, President von der Leyen met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce a €618 million package from Team Europe for the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” campaign. The initiative aims to expand investment in renewable energy, create jobs, and boost green industrialization in countries including Kenya, Uganda, DRC, Mauritania, Nigeria, Cabo Verde, Zambia, Tanzania, and Togo. Additionally, EU Member States committed nearly €12 billion to support the EU-South Africa Just Energy Transition Partnership to advance global clean energy leadership.
The forum also provided opportunities for bilateral meetings, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to partnerships across sectors. President von der Leyen discussed expanded cooperation with Ethiopia on health, energy, digital solutions, and migration management, while announcing €95 million for Rwanda to strengthen vaccine manufacturing and medical innovation. She pledged €180 million to the DRC for energy, transport, and biodiversity projects, and announced new electrification and rail transport projects in Mauritania. In Cabo Verde, she unveiled €200 million for renewable energy, ports, and digital infrastructure, and discussed addressing sargassum challenges in the Caribbean with Grenada’s Prime Minister.
Further engagements included preparatory meetings for upcoming EU-AU and EU-CELAC summits with the Presidents of Angola and Colombia, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to strategic, long-term, and mutually beneficial global partnerships through the Global Gateway initiative.
