Europe Pledges $600 Billion for Clean Energy Projects in Africa

""From the outset, the Global Gateway has been described as the European Union's attempt to rival the Belt and Road Initiative's overseas infrastructure investment funds. At €300 billion through 2027, however, it is a David-versus-Goliath-style undertaking," says Gabriele Rosana, an associate fellow at the Institute of International Affairs in Rome. China has already been investing heavily in clean energy in Africa, and with far fewer constraints. "The Union is operating in a system of precise rules, stakes, and constraints unknown to Chinese centralism," Rosana says."

"A recent report from the energy think tank Ember revealed that China exported 15GW of solar panels to Africa in the year leading up to June 2025, a 60 percent year-on-year increase of such imports. It is not certain that all of these devices will be installed-some could be a trade triangulation to circumvent tariffs-but in any case, Beijing is positioning itself to take advantage of the continent's green transition."

""Over the past two years, competitiveness has gradually, but with increasing conviction, become the key word on the European policy agenda, along with defense," says Rosana. "International cooperation has also been reinvented with a view to strategic autonomy, and put at the service of the Union's global projection, at a time when, with the massive reorganization of trade balances due to the America-China challenge, Europe must rapidly diversify its supply chains and trade.""

The Global Gateway is a €300 billion EU initiative through 2027 intended to support overseas infrastructure investment and rival China's Belt and Road Initiative. China has expanded clean-energy investments in Africa with fewer constraints, exporting large volumes of solar panels and securing high-value energy contracts. Energy-related Belt and Road investments in early 2025 reached their highest levels since 2013, with Africa receiving significant contracts. Some solar shipments may involve trade triangulation to avoid tariffs, while China positions itself for Africa's green transition. The EU is emphasizing competitiveness, strategic autonomy, defense, and rapid diversification of supply chains and trade.

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