Harnessing the power of European cooperation

What role do Member States’ development cooperation agencies play in implementing the Global Gateway strategy?

These agencies, including Expertise France, play an increasingly important role in implementing transformation projects on a global scale. These initiatives fall within the European Global Gateway strategy, which has a budget of 300 billion euros.

The Global Gateway is a joint initiative to help partner countries boost their connectivity in the transport, digital, and energy sectors, as well as in relation to value chains. Our global investments provide both “material” infrastructures and “immaterial” services, while promoting the economic environment in partner countries. We also ensure the transfer of technologies and support skills, education, and healthcare.

Our impact can be truly transformative when we unite our efforts and pool our resources and our expertise. By implementing the Global Gateway as part of a Team Europe approach, we bring together the institutions and Member States of the European Union, public development banks, development financing institutions and implementing bodies, the European Investment Bank, the private sector, and civil society.

How can the Practitioners’ Network increase the impact of European Union international cooperation policies?

This coalition of European development cooperation agencies advances our shared objectives by improving coordination between members and the European development financing institutions, and by building on the exchanges they have with one another, particularly when it comes to working with the private sector. In the future, it will be important to engage more deeply with the private sector on subjects such as sustainable value chains, vocational training, corporate social responsibility, and the trade environment to build up a pool of sustainable investment projects.

Interview conducted in May 2024.