“The way forward is through partnerships,” von der Leyen told the room full of visiting dignitaries. But she could have easily been speaking to MEPs from different political tribes whom she is asking to back her.
Prior to her speech, von der Leyen sat in the front row of the event, unsmiling and listening intently via her earphones. She was flanked by multiple African leaders, including Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, and Angolan President João Lourenço.
European leaders largely skipped the two-day conference, with the exception of a few ministers and commissioners, according to the program. Global Gateway, the EU’s answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, has invested over €300 billion in projects across the developing world and is expected to invest a hundred billion more by 2027.