The Baha’i International Community (BIC) Brussels co-hosted a meeting titled “What does the Global Gateway mean for local communities in the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) Partnership of Equals?” together with faith-based and religious organizations in Europe and their counterparts in Africa. Forty representatives from across Africa and Europe attended the hybrid meeting. 

Earlier this year, the European Commission announced the launch of the “Global Gateway”, a large investment package at the heart of its foreign relations strategy which has taken a central role in the Africa Europe partnership. Co-hosts Caritas Europa, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), HIAS, Brot für die Welt, Don Bosco International, CIDSE, and EU Cord joined the BIC to explore how the Global Gateway can serve the needs of communities at the grassroots. 

A key point that emerged from the meeting was the need to involve local communities in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the objectives of the partnership, including when it comes to particular investment projects. Local communities are best placed to understand their reality and hold irreplaceable knowledge on how a particular project may interact with local needs. Faith-based and religious actors in particular have a significant grassroots presence and the ability to navigate local networks and identify opportunities.

Another aspect that was brought up and needs further exploration was the value of on one hand, not setting out private sector interests as always conflicting with those of local communities, while on the other hand not romanticizing their interaction either. Rather, the conversation highlighted the need to focus on tangible steps to increase the wellbeing of all those involved. Such an approach can allow for the identification of a joint vision able to foster unified action, all while appreciating the needs and interests of all.

These and other insights from the meeting will be further shared at a follow-up larger public event co-hosted by the group with a member of the European Parliament in March 2023.