Koen Doens presents the Global Gateway initiative at the CEOE
On the occasion of the visit to Madrid of the Director General of International Associations of the European Commission, Koen Doens, the CEOE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, in collaboration with the European Commission, organised at Meeting on the Global Gateway Strategy at the CEOE.
In her speech, the president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco, positively assessed this new EU initiative, which seeks to involve companies in executing transformative projects in the countries of the Neighbourhood, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. She stressed Spanish companies’ leadership in the sectors prioritised in the Global Gateway Strategy, such as connectivity, digitalisation, the environment, renewable energies, education and science. And she highlighted the fact that this Strategy could become a very useful lever for disseminating European values and standards through funding projects with a positive economic, social and environmental impact.
After the remarks by the Secretary of State for Cooperation, Pilar Cancela, who highlighted Global Gateway as an effective instrument for disseminating European values rooted in democracy and human rights, the Director General of International Associations, Koen Doens, took the floor. In his speech, he emphasised the potential for Team Europe to coordinate and mobilise resources in which, beside the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the development agencies and banks of the 27 EU Member States are present.
Koen Doens’ presentation was followed by a round table with Spanish companies moderated by the President of CEOE International, with and attended by José Juan Haro, the Director of Wholesale Business and Public Affairs for Latin America at Telefónica, Luis Martí, the Director of Public Policy and Regulation at Acciona, Carolina Clemente, the Director of Public Affairs for Spain and Latin America at Siemens Gamesa, Ángela María Pérez, the Director of Financing at Elecnor, Alfredo Mordezki, the Director of Fixed Income for Latin America at Banco Santander, and the Secretary of State for Cooperation, Pilar Cancela, and the Director General of International Associations, Koen Doens.
This business session offered an insight into significant aspects that should be borne in mind in planning programmes and projects financed through Global Gateway financial instruments. The event was closed by the Director of the Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation, Antón Leis.
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