Europe’s strategic role in global development

Policy Brief

In a world marked by geopolitical tensions, climate crises and weakening global cooperation, this policy brief argues that the EU must redefine its relationships with developing countries– moving from its current partnership approach to a strategic alliance, the terms of which are grounded in mutual interest and defined in common.

The policy brief identifies four urgent imperatives:

1. Renewing multilateralism through more inclusive governance;
2. Rethinking development priorities and metrics beyond GDP;
3. Reforming cooperation instruments to foster joint action, peer learning and national ownership; and 
4. Overhauling the global financial architecture to generate sustainable fiscal space for developing countries, protecting them from recurring debt crises. 

These reforms are not merely technical – they are political. They require the EU to act as a convener of alliances and an architect of common goods, particularly in cooperation with the Global South.

At the heart of this redefinition lies the Global Gateway, which should evolve from a flagship investment strategy into a truly global platform for co-created transformation. To succeed, it must redesign its governance, connect the priorities of the EU and its partners, and invest in capacities and ecosystems beyond infrastructure. This requires rapid and visible reforms, from radically simplified delivery procedures to the creation of inclusive dialogue mechanisms and robust certification frameworks.

The EU’s credibility will depend on the level of resources it commits to external action and on its determination to change – beginning with how it listens, decides and collaborates. The upcoming UN Conference on Financing for Development in Seville represents a crucial opportunity for the EU to demonstrate its willingness to shape, together with the countries of the Global South, a new compact aimed at achieving the sustainable development goals. This will be essential to the EU’s global relevance and resilience.