Global Gateway: EU increases support to vaccine production in Rwanda as first mRNA facility opens
Marking the inauguration today of the first BioNTech Africa manufacturing site in Kigali, Rwanda, the European Union has increased its Global Gateway investments in the country under the Team Europe Initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa (MAV+).
EU and Kenya sign ambitious Economic Partnership Agreement with strong sustainability provisions
The EU and Kenya today signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to boost bilateral trade in goods, increase investment flows, and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
The EPA provides a platform to support job creation on both sides, along with targeted cooperation to enhance Kenya's economic development. It is the most ambitious trade deal ever signed by the EU with a developing country when it comes to sustainability provisions such as climate and environmental protection, labour rights and gender equality.
Hearing on the EU-Africa Strategy
On 28 November 2023, the Committee on Development held a public hearing on the EU-Africa Strategy. Members discussed how it delivered against the background of geopolitical tensions and changes that development cooperation has undergone recently. Moderators: Mr Carlos Zorrinho and Mr Karsten Lucke.
COP28: EU announces over €20 billion for Team Europe Initiative on Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative
On December 2nd, during the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), Executive Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič announced a Team Europe pledge of more than €20 billion for the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), an initiative launched during the 6th EU-AU Summit, in February 2022.
EU and Angola sign first-ever Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement
The EU and Angola signed on November 17, 2023, a Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA), the first EU agreement of its kind, during the EU-Angola Business Forum in Luanda. It responds to Angola's ambition to diversify its economy beyond the oil and gas sectors, which historically attracted most foreign investment.
The agreement, with its commitments to improve business climate and sustainability across the economy, is expected to attract new EU investment to sectors where Angola's potential is currently untapped. The EU-Angola Business Forum confirmed opportunities for investments notably in green energy, agri-food value chains, digital innovation, fisheries, logistics, and critical raw materials.
The main objective is to increase sustainable investment by EU businesses in Angola, while Angolan businesses will benefit from facilitation measures and from improved linkages between foreign investors and domestic suppliers.
Samoa Agreement: EU and its Member States sign new Partnership Agreement with the Members of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States
On November 15th, 2023, the EU and its Member States signed a new Partnership Agreement with the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) that will serve as an overarching legal framework for their relations for the next twenty years. This agreement succeeds the Cotonou Agreement and will be known as the “Samoa Agreement”. The agreement covers subjects such as sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security.
The denomination of the Agreement was agreed at the 46th session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, which took place right before the signature ceremony, also in Samoa.
Global Gateway Forum: EU and Finnfund launch the Africa Connected Programme to mobilise more than €1 billion of sustainable investments in digital infrastructure
At the Global Gateway Forum, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, and Finnfund CEO, Jaakko Kangasniemi, have officially signed the Africa Connected Programme, a landmark guarantee agreement aimed at mobilising more than €1 billion in sustainable investments for digital infrastructure and digital service platforms in Sub-Saharan Africa. Finnfund becomes a first-time implementing partner of European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus, the Global Gateway’s financial arm.
RDC : l’Union européenne déploie une mission d’observation électorale
En réponse à une invitation du ministère des Affaires étrangères de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), l'Union européenne a décidé de déployer une mission d'observation électorale (MOE) de l'UE pour les élections générales prévues le 20 décembre 2023.
Global Gateway: EU signs strategic partnerships on critical raw materials value chains with DRC and Zambia and advances cooperation with US and other key partners to develop the ‘Lobito Corridor'
On October 26, 2023, at the Global Gateway Forum taking place in Brussels, the EU signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with partners to develop critical raw materials value chains and boost transport connectivity.
Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a partnership on critical and strategic raw materials value chains with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Minister of Mines, Antoinette N'samba Kalambayi*, and a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains with Zambian Minister of Finance, Situmbeko Musokotwane.
New from the European Parliament
Development Committee
Members of the Committee on Development met on 24 October to exchange views, among other things, on:
- on the Priorities of the Spanish Presidency with Ms Pilar Cancela, State Secretary for International Cooperation
- Hearing : Team Europe initiative: saving the Congo Basin and providing development opportunities for Congo Basin countries (documents and recording)
- Role of EU development policy in transforming the extractive industries for sustainable development in developing countries (documents)
- EU development cooperation to enhance access to education and training in developing countries (documents)
- EU development cooperation in support of access to energy in developing countries (documents)
You can find the draft agenda with all the discussed topics here. Next meeting of the DEVE Committee will be held on 16 November.