The EU is selling, but who’s buying? Poorva Karkare states in an article questioning the viability of the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative. Launched in 2021, the Global Gateway is a new European Strategy, seen as the push to regain influence in Africa.
The European Commission has explained the initiative as a strategy “to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport and strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. It stands for sustainable and trusted connections that work for people and the planet, to tackle the most pressing global challenges, from climate change and protecting the environment, to improving health security and boosting competitiveness and global supply chains.”
The Commission further states that Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027 “to underpin a lasting global recovery, with consideration of partners’ needs and EU’s own interests.”
Months since the launch of the strategy, European and African leaders are this week meeting in the Belgian capital of Brussels and according to analysts, this will present a great opportunity for Europe to court Africa.
In an article headlined; ‘EU tempts Africa away from Chinese influence’ https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-tempts-africa-away-from-chinese-influence, online publication POLITICO states that Europe has seen an opportunity since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic which saw China reducing its spending in Africa.
According to POLITICO, the European Commission has drafted a document listing projects to improve digital connectivity, build new transport links and accelerate the shift to lower-carbon energy sources as part of the bloc’s Global Gateway strategy. The website states that the strategy is a “geostrategic riposte to China’s own Belt and Road initiative (BRI).”
Questions abound over the capacity of the bloc to finance the strategy.
“It’s a good moment for Global Gateway. It’s clearly a good idea but we need to make sure that it’s properly funded in order to say with credibility that it’s living up to its promise to counter the Belt and Road,” POLITICO quotes Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, the vice chair of the European Parliament’s international trade committee.
However, the more pertinant question lingering over the strategy is whether EU member states will commit funding to the Global Gateway. The Chinese government has stood firm by its nationals seeking to establish ground in Africa and across the globe.
“If the EU wants to compete with China, it should identify new funding sources and make sure the European Investment Bank and other European public development banks and financial institutions can leverage more sustainable investment. The Global Gateway could provide a political push in this direction. But competing with China might not be of real added value for Europe,” states San Bilal, in an article on https://ecdpm.org/talking-points/eu-global-gateway-groundbreaking-initiative-smart-rebranding.
Bilal further supposes that Europe might be better off adopting partnership approaches based on partner countries’ priorities and jointly mobilising investments.
Theodore Murphey, Africa director of the European Council on Foreign Relations is quoted by POLITICO stating: “If we want to make sure that we match China, we have to combine all EU initiatives, from both the EU institutions and EU countries to make sure that our footprint is greater than the sum of all parts.”
But besides the funding questions, the Global Gateway strategy is more than likely facing additional hurdles ahead. It is evident that the strategy shall not go without resistance both from Africa, where the Europeans seek to reestablish themselves, but also from China, whom they seek to uproot.
Analysts say China has made a pull back on its funding to Africa ever since the Corona pandemic, giving an opportunity for Europe to gain ground and take dominance. The China-Africa relations have been labelled a debt trap and it is not surprising that the Global Gateway was launched weeks after the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting last year, where Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $40 billion worth of investments for Africa, a third less than previous commitments.
However, China seems to have seen a gap and used it when it gave 1 billion more coronavirus vaccines doses in November, on top of 200 million doses already delivered to African countries. Europe and Africa have been at loggerheads over vaccines, with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni coming out to lambast the bloc for hoarding vaccines when the continent needed them the most. Rwanda on its part has fast-tracked efforts to establish vaccines strategies that shall ensure the country does not have to look to the West in case of an outbreak in future.
China has also not taken the labelling of its relations with Africa as a debt trap, lying down. President Xi has reminded African leaders about Europe’s colonial history in Africa.
Xi is quoted as telling African leaders in November last year that: “Over the past 65 years, China and Africa have forged unbreakable fraternity in our struggle against imperialism and colonialism.”
But unlike China that has made it clear it will not meddle in the affairs of partner states under the BRI, the EU has stated that it will not compromise on issues of labour, environment and corruption. This perhaps may leave African governments with a preference for China’s money which will not threaten their grip. All eyes on Brussels.
