Egypt becomes second African country to join Horizon Europe
Today, Egypt has officially joined Horizon Europe, becoming the second African country associated to the EU's multibillion-euro research and innovation (R&I) programme. This grants Egyptian researchers, universities, innovators and entities access to all parts of the programme on similar terms to those of EU Member States. It enables them to lead projects, contribute to cutting-edge research, and support national research reforms and institutional capacity-building.
EU-Egypt summit, 22 October 2025
Main results
The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, representing the EU, met with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah El-Sisi at the first ever EU-Egypt summit.
EU and Mauritania advance partnership through Global Gateway
President Ursula von der Leyen met with President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania during the 2025 Global Gateway Forum. The meeting reaffirmed the European Union’s strong partnership with Mauritania. The partnership will be further reinforced with an investment package of €269 million covering energy, transport, and budget support, reflecting the EU’s commitment to sustainable development, advancing the green transition, strengthening the health sector, and supporting migration management in Mauritania.
EU and Cabo Verde strengthen strategic autonomy and green transitions at the Global Gateway Forum
President Ursula von der Leyen met with Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva of Cabo Verde during the 2025 Global Gateway Forum. The meeting reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between the EU and Cabo Verde on renewable energy, maritime infrastructure, and digital transformation under EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
Global Gateway Forum: Team Europe and South Africa mobilise an investment package for inclusive prosperity, worth nearly €12 billion
Today at the Global Gateway Forum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, together with South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, unveiled a Team Europe investment package, worth nearly €12 billion. With this package, Team Europe is doubling down on its ambition to work with South Africa in order to become global leaders in the just energy transition, sustainable infrastructure, digital connectivity and pharmaceutical value chain. It reflects a shared commitment to building a healthier, more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive South Africa – boosting competitiveness, creating jobs, and ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to a green economy.
President von der Leyen announces €618 million package to scale up renewables in Africa at Global Gateway Forum
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today a €618 million Team Europe package to accelerate Africa's clean energy transition. This announcement, unveiled during the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, is an important milestone in the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” campaign, co-hosted with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and coordinated with the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen.
European Union featured prominently at Africa Climate Summit on the road to COP30 and AU-EU Summit
Teresa Ribera, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, was in Addis with a full agenda. She spoke at the Opening Ceremony of ACS2 and participated in a large number of high-level events, including the one on Carbon Markets and Pricing, a Panel on the African Single Electricity Market and the Africa-Europe Policymakers Dialogue on Energy Transition Minerals. She also met with African and international leaders, co-hosted a Dialogue with Non State Actors on climate with Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and was the first partner to receive the Africa Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA) declaration, listening to the African youth and civil society’s concerns and suggestions.
EIB and European Commission join forces with BioNTech to build a sustainable vaccine ecosystem in Africa
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission (EC) are teaming up with BioNTech to help advance a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing facility in Kigali, Rwanda. To support this project, BioNTech has been awarded a blended financing option of up to €95 million: a €35 million Commission grant, and the possibility to take out a loan of up to €60 million from the EIB. The facility is designed to produce mRNA vaccines for diseases that matter most to Africa – such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and mpox – if successfully developed and approved.
EU and Egypt deepen cooperation on water issues at Cairo Water Week
The first EU-Egypt High-Level Dialogue on Water launched at Cairo Water Week on Sunday (12 Oct), marking a significant milestone in their growing partnership on sustainable water management and climate resilience.
European Union and EIB strengthen Tunisia-Europe energy partnership with €12 million of support for STEG
The European Union and the EIB have announced a €12 million technical assistance grant (around TND 41 million) for Société tunisienne de l’électricité et du gaz (STEG). Today’s signing ceremony in Tunis was attended by European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and Head of the EIB's Middle East and North Africa Division Ulrich H. Brunnhuber.