Unlocking Opportunities in Emerging Markets: What does Global Gateway offer to Finnish Companies

The future of economic growth lies in emerging markets. This is not just hype, but a basic fact, as these regions have young and growing populations and a strong drive for development. The question is, how can the Finnish enterprises tap into this potential? One pathway is through the EU’s Global Gateway initiative.

Launched in December 2021, the Global Gateway initiative aims to promote large-scale infrastructure investments in the emerging markets. The goal is to mobilize up to € 300 billion of public and private investments by 2027 through a combination of grants, concessional loans and guarantees that help mitigate investment risks.  

(Between 2021 and 2023, the EU, its Member States, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstructions and Development (EBRD) mobilised investments worth EUR 179 billion in support of Global Gateway implementation. Out of these, EUR 50 billion were supported by the EU and EUR 129 billion were mobilised by EU Member States, EIB and EBRD.)  

Global Gateway is not just about financial investments. The initiative supports projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the climate targets of the Paris Agreement. This is realized through investments in smart, clean and secure links in the energy, digital and transport sectors, and strengthening health, education and research systems across the world. The guiding principle of Global Gateway is to create win-win partnerships, where both the EU and its partner countries benefit from the investments.  

The recent geopolitical developments underline the strength of this approach. As the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs stated on 2 October 2024: “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the increasing weaponisation of dependencies have confirmed that Global Gateway set the right frame: today, there is a convergence between the demands of partners and the core interests of the EU, notably when it comes to climate and energy, critical raw materials, secure digital connectivity and transport corridors.”  

Finland has chosen to focus on digitalisation, education, climate and energy questions within the Global Gateway initiative. We have a lot to offer in these sectors. Finland looks at digitalisation from a broader perspective that includes not only connectivity issues but also data centres and regulatory questions. Finnfund, for example, has a large capacity to finance digital projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, as it signed an agreement worth € 100 million to deliver EFSD+ guarantees in the region. Additionally, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs appreciates the close cooperation we have with Nokia in enhancing connectivity in remote areas of our partner countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.  

We, at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, are ready to assist Finnish companies in navigating Global Gateway opportunities. If a company has an idea of a project in an emerging market, please, contact either our overseas mission in the region or us at the ministry headquarters, so we can discuss it and devise a way to take the idea forward. If the project aligns with Global Gateway, i.e. supports European values and answers to the partner country´s needs, we can present it to the local EU delegation or the Commission in Brussels. If it gets the go ahead, financial support options can then be explored.  

Over the past year, critical raw materials and hydrogen have become hot topics in Global Gateway discussions as well. The Commission is emphasizing the need to invest in these sectors in order to enhance our security of supply. Given Finland’s strong expertise in mining technology, Finnish companies have a unique opportunity to participate in these kinds of projects. Due to the geopolitical developments, the Commission is keen to secure the entire value chain of critical raw materials in order to safeguard the European industry and the well-being of its citizens. The Global Gateway initiative is an important tool in this endeavour.  

In sum, Global Gateway may seem a nebulous and difficult to understand initiative, but let´s try to utilize it in opening doors to new markets for Finnish companies. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is here to help you unlock new possibilities!

Ambassador Roy Eriksson
March 2025