President Ramaphosa, dear Cyril,

Thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality here in Cape Town – the ‘Mother City’. Today it serves as the perfect backdrop for a new chapter in EU-South Africa relations. Two weeks ago, I stood at the Gandhi Memorial in New Delhi and reflected on Gandhis 21 years spent here in South Africa. It is a sign that Europes next crucial partnership must be with South Africa. A regional powerhouse and a strong voice for the Global South. We both are vibrant democracies striving for a safe and prosperous future. We stand for a rules-based international order and the rule of law over the rule of force. Today, we are here with António at our first summit with a third country, and I am glad it is with South Africa.

We spoke at the G20 in Rio about green hydrogen and renewables. Europe can contribute EUR 4.7 billion via the Global Gateway investment package. This includes three key initiatives: investing in the Just Energy Transition Partnership, improving connectivity through transport corridors and digital networks, and supporting the pharmaceutical industry with EUR 700 million. This package will have a significant impact on our economies and job creation. We are launching negotiations for a new trade agreement focused on clean energy and local value chains. Our partnership will also extend to critical raw materials and future industries like electric vehicles.

We have launched a global campaign to power Africa with clean energy. The World Bank has joined our efforts, and we are organizing a major event during the G20 in Johannesburg. The Global Gateway package and focus on clean energy are significant pledges. We are 100% behind the success of South Africas G20 presidency. It is an opportunity to drive real progress toward a fair and sustainable world.