07 March 2022

The European Union (EU) announced US$170bn in aid package to Africa during a two-day conference – a large percentage of which will be devoted to building telecom development across the continent.

It was announcement at an event that that brought together EU leaders and 40 African counterparts and is part of the Global Gateway plan unveiled last year as the EU’s answer to China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

The assistance will go toward a broad range of projects, such as green energy initiatives, disaster relief and the improvement of the public health infrastructure. However, one area the EU is especially focused on is telecommunications.

Thierry Breton, the European commissioner in charge of the internal market, told reporters that a US$6.8bn high-speed EU satellite communication network will also include Africa. The network bolsters coverage in the continent, leading to economic development, which in turn will help the EU.

Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, announced a substantial support package for Nigeria’s digital economy when she visited the country in February. She also emphasised a “human-centric, democratic governance framework” for the technology.

A number of authoritarian governments in Africa limit or block internet use and so EU leaders are looking to project democratic values, such as freedom of expression and communication, together with the economic aid.