Commissioner Síkela champions EU’s Global Gateway during U.S. mission

From 23–29 April, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela visited the United States for the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to global sustainable development. He met with leaders from international financial institutions, governments, and the private sector to promote the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy—focused on long-term, win-win partnerships, private investment, and solutions to global challenges like climate change, irregular migration, and economic instability.

At the 111th Meeting of the World Bank and IMF Development Committee, Commissioner Síkela highlighted the EU’s role as the world’s largest donor of Official Development Aid, with nearly €90 billion annually. He presented the Global Gateway as a model for sustainable growth, driven by partner priorities such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, and built on principles of inclusivity and long-term impact.

Commissioner Jozef Síkela said, “Lack of development leads to instability. Today’s challenges we face require coordinated, strategic action. Through the Global Gateway Strategy, Europe is building long-term partnerships to drive sustainable investments into the global development. My meetings in the U.S. confirmed that only by uniting governments, institutions, and the private sector can we unlock real progress. This is about creating a stable, transparent investment climate for the private sector to step in and deliver lasting impact.”

During his visit to Washington and New York, Commissioner Síkela held high-level meetings with global leaders, including IMF President Kristalina Georgieva, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop. These talks focused on strengthening multilateral cooperation and aligning efforts to tackle shared global challenges. The Commissioner highlighted the EU’s comprehensive approach to development, which goes beyond infrastructure to include healthcare, education, and skills training.

At public events such as the Global Inclusive Growth Summit, a BloombergNEF keynote, and a fireside chat at the Centre for Global Development, Síkela championed Europe’s human-centered, values-based growth model. He emphasized high social standards, environmental sustainability, and inclusive governance as key pillars of the Global Gateway Strategy—offering a transparent alternative to zero-sum development approaches.

A key focus of the trip was mobilizing private investment. In meetings with leaders from Goldman Sachs, Mitsubishi UFJ, and others, the Commissioner showcased how EU regulatory expertise, risk-mitigation tools, and partnerships with institutions like the EIB and EBRD make sustainable development both viable and impactful.

Throughout the visit, Commissioner Síkela reaffirmed the EU’s role as a trusted global partner, committed to shared prosperity. By advancing partnerships in areas like critical raw materials, energy security, and sustainable trade, the EU is boosting resilience and addressing global challenges from climate change to irregular migration.

Background

Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems. The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, they aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.