Global Gateway in Benin
What the EU does
The EU’s international partnerships are crucial to strengthening its global role by fostering sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with low- and middle-income countries.
These partnerships cover Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean as well as the EU’s overseas territories.
The EU aims to shape a fairer, more resilient, and more sustainable world, by aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. International partnerships also contribute to the EU’s prosperity, resilience, and security.
A major initiative is the Global Gateway, the €300 billion investment strategy that focuses on: smart, clean, and secure infrastructure; supporting education, health, and research investments, and ensuring fair, values-driven partnerships.
The EU’s international partnerships also support countries in fragile contexts by providing basic services. Moreover, they address the root causes of irregular migration, including jointly fighting human trafficking networks.
Through Team Europe approach the EU ensures that these initiatives are efficiently implemented by coordinating efforts among the EU Institutions, Member States, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Key figures
Areas of action
Discover how Global Gateway strengthens connections between Europe and the world, helping to bridge the digital divide
Explore how Global Gateway supports investments in climate mitigation, resilience, and clean energy
See how Global Gateway promotes global infrastructure investments for sustainable, smart, resilient, inclusive, and safe transport networks
Find out about Global Gateway’s efforts to strengthen healthcare capacities worldwide
Explore how Global Gateway is investing in quality education and fostering stronger cooperation in research and innovation
Learn what EU does to make migration safe, orderly, and regular
Discover how the EU champions human rights, democracy, and the rule of law worldwide
Learn what EU does across the world to advance women’s rights
Learn how the EU empowers young people globally as key drivers of positive change
Key achievements
- The EU has rolled out Global Gateway worldwide, launching investment packages in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central Asia. Over 250 key projects are underway.
- The EU has launched five digital economy packages to foster human-centric digital development. For example, the Copernicus Earth Observation Programme in the Philippines uses satellite data to manage disaster risk and improve connectivity.
- The EU helps Namibia develop green hydrogen facilities, and thereby become a leader in renewable energy. It supports Costa Rica in its effort to electrify the public transport system, and helps the Caribbean turn the Sargassum alga into an economic resource.
- The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and the Lobito Corridor enhance trade routes between Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- The EU's Global Health Strategy strengthens health systems and medicine supply chains. For instance, the Team Europe Initiative on vaccines and medicines expands vaccine access and boosts local pharmaceutical production in Africa.
- The EU funding for education in third countries has nearly doubled, focusing on gender equality and teacher training.
In focus
Home to major wind and solar energy resources and significant mineral deposits, Namibia has it all to be a competitive green industrial economy.
A Global Gateway initiative of up to €20 billion will drive seven green hydrogen projects while also reducing the country’s dependency on imported electricity.
This page was last updated on 4 February 2025