The lecture will be held by Dr. Tim Zajontz and is part of the lecture series "Infrastructure, Capitalism, and Dependency in the Digital Age".

Maintaining European influence across Africa has become a geostrategic priority in Europe’s capitals. Accordingly, Africa is deemed a pivotal ‘partner’ region in the context of the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. Based on interview research with Members of the European Parliament and Commission and EEAS staffers, the lecture traces the origins of the Global Gateway initiative, revealing inter- and intra-institutional controversies that have characterised its drafting process. The geopolitical and geoeconomic importance of Africa is shown to have grown in the perception of EU decision-makers and technocrats in the light of growing Chinese influence across the continent.