European Commission - Press release

Global Gateway: EU launches a Team Europe Initiative to develop green

hydrogen in Mauritania and accelerate its energy transition
Brussels, 24 October 2023
Today, on the eve of the Global Gateway Forum taking place in Brussels on 25 and 26 October,
European Commission President Von der Leyen and the Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould
Ghazouani have launched a new Team Europe Initiative, as part of the EU's positive Global Gateway
offer, to support investment in the energy transition and decarbonisation of Mauritania's economy, by
developing its green hydrogen industries.
At the launch of this Team Europe Initiative, President Von der Leyen said: “With its sun and wind,
Mauritania has a vast renewable energy potential. The EU fully shares its ambition to develop as a
hub for green hydrogen. Global Gateway provides the frame for partnerships in strategic sectors like
green energy. This is how Team Europe will contribute to the green transition of Mauritania, creating
at the same time new opportunities for its people and businesses.”
The Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani added: “The large-scale development of green
hydrogen can be an accelerator of green economic growth in Africa and Europe. It deserves to be at
the heart of the global Gateway initiative”.
The Team Europe initiative
The new Team Europe initiative backed by the European Commission, France, Germany, Spain and
the European Investment Bank as Team Europe aims to:
- Support the development of infrastructures needed in Mauritania to allow the green energy to be
produced, transported, and commercialised.
- Foster decent/job creation, particularly for youth, support private sector and strengthen the
entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Contribute to skills development through technical and vocational training, to provide the skilled
labour required by the hydrogen industry and the sub-sectors associated with its development.
- Consolidate the legal and fiscal framework, improve the business climate to create a favourable
investment environment for the development of hydrogen exploitation.
This new Team Europe Initiative will mobilise significant additional investments, that will be further
concretised in the coming months.
Complementing this initiative, the EU has also signed new cooperation actions in 2023, including:
€13,7 million to promote sustainable food systems and access to quality and affordable food by
strengthening value chains and economic operators.
A €10 million to promote the Blue economy in Mauritania, in particular eco-friendly fishing
systems and strengthen fisheries value chain. It will also co-finance the construction of
maritime infrastructures and maximise synergies with the EU-Mauritania Sustainable Fisheries
Partnership Agreement.
Background
The EU and Mauritania share many common interests, ranging from the green transition to regional
stability and orderly migration. The current EU cooperation with Mauritania has three objectives:
human development, transition to a green and blue economy and governance (to advance public
finance and administrative reforms), backed by €578 million from the EU between 2021-2024
In Mauritania, Global Gateway is already making significant investments in the green and blue
economy, as well as in digitalisation, by supporting the transformation of the national electricity
industry towards international standards, the development of small-scale fishing to improve value
chains and preserve fish stocks, and connectivity and data management with a second internet cable
and a data centre.
The Global Gateway Forum brings together for the first time an assembly of government
representatives from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the
private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to
promote global investment in transformative infrastructure – hard and soft- to deliver on SDGs and
sustainable growth and resilience worldwide.
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment gap 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, it aims to
mobilize 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.
More Information
Mauritania (europa.eu)
Global Gateway Forum
Global Gateway
IP/23/5268

Quotes:

With its sun and wind, Mauritania has a vast renewable energy potential. The EU fully shares its ambition to develop as a hub for
green hydrogen. Global Gateway provides the frame for partnerships in strategic sectors like green energy. This is how Team
Europe will contribute to the green transition of Mauritania, creating at the same time new opportunities for its people and
businesses.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

The large-scale development of green hydrogen can be an accelerator of green economic growth in Africa and Europe. It
deserves to be at the heart of the global Gateway initiative.
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Mauritanian President

Press contacts:
Arianna PODESTA (+32 2 298 70 24)
Ana PISONERO-HERNANDEZ (+32 2 295 43 20)
General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email