Brussels, 24 May 2024 – CONCORD has launched new research on Global Gateway and inequalities, finding that if the initiative is not effectively rethought, it will exacerbate inequalities in partner countries rather than reducing them.


‘A gateway to equality? Insights from El Salvador and Lesotho on tackling inequalities in the European Union’s Global Gateway programmes’ finds that infrastructure projects do have the potential to address inequalities. However, unless Global Gateway projects actively target inequalities as a key objective, the EU’s commitment to address inequalities through international partnerships will be undermined.

The European Commission’s Global Gateway initiative has been branded as a tool to fill investment gaps in the Global South and tackle interconnected global challenges through a Team Europe approach. 

Global Gateway has faced several criticisms since its inception. Notably, the initiative has been criticised for acting as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road in order to serve EU geopolitical interests and the European private sector at the expense of EU commitments on sustainable development. 

With these criticisms in mind, CONCORD has analysed two Global Gateway projects – Renewable Lesotho and Social Digital Connectivity in El Salvador.  

While the research finds that infrastructure projects do have the potential to tackle inequalities, it also found that unless affordability is ensured, these projects run the risk of leaving people further behind. As well as this, those responsible for project design and implementation must identify inequalities as a target of projects and devise strategies to address them from the outset. 

On 23 November 2023, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions in which it called for “the broadest application of the Inequality Marker, including in Team Europe Initiatives and with regard to the Global Gateway”. Yet, there has been a failure to prioritise inequalities in programmes; this is a cause for concern as it leads to a risk of the EU’s external action contributing to inequalities.

The findings of the research are not only concerning in their own right – they also compound an alarming situation illustrated by the leak of DG IntPa’s draft briefing book which positions Global Gateway as the primary focus of the future Commission’s international cooperation. As our research recognises, investment projects can contribute to addressing inequalities, but they cannot be the only approach to supporting partner countries to confront multiple interlinked crises.”

Borja Arrue-Astrain, Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor at CONCORD

As part of the research, CONCORD has put forward recommendations to avert a situation in which Global Gateway widens gaps between individuals, communities and countries and to bring the initiative in line with the EU’s sustainable development commitments.

 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Borja Arrue-Astrain, Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser at borja.arrue@concordeurope.org

Aoife Coyne, Communication Adviser at aoife.coyne@concordeurope.org