Two years after launching the €45 billion EU-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA), leaders from the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean met for the 4th CELAC-EU Summit to deliver on shared priorities, from trade and investments to justice, security and climate resilience.
The Summit took place on from 7 to 10 November 2025 and was hosted by Colombia in Santa Marta. The event gathered government, business and civil society leaders, from 33 Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the 27 EU Member States. It provided a chance to build upon and review progress made under the EU-LAC GGIA since its launch at the EU-CELAC Summit in 2023.
In the margins of the Summit, the LAC-EU Business Forum and LAC-EU Civil Society Forum gave shape to the partnership’s economic and social pillars, identifying new investment opportunities with the private sector while amplifying civil society priorities.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela said: “Since the last CELAC EU Summit in 2023, our Global Gateway Investment Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean has moved from vision to delivery. Together, our partnership improves the lives of people and businesses by expanding renewable electricity networks, bringing internet to remote areas, and protecting communities with better storm forecasting. This partnership is creating jobs and building a greener, safer and more connected future for both our regions”.
Dialogue driving delivery
LAC-EU Civil Society Forum
Held on 7 and 8 November, the LAC-EU Civil Society Forum brought together over 200 representatives from Latin America, the Caribbean and the EU to exchange views on shared challenges and opportunities. Co-organised by the Government of Colombia and the EU, it built on the 2023 edition to promote inclusive, participatory diplomacy, engaging youth, women’s and indigenous organisations. The event concluded with a Joint Declaration of Civil Society, presenting key citizen priorities and recommendations to Summit leaders.
LAC-EU Business Forum
Complementing this civic dialogue, the Business Forum that took place on 9 and 10 November convened business and government leaders to translate shared ambitions into investment opportunities under the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda. Organised by Colombia, the EU, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), discussions focused on green investment, digital connectivity, sustainable transport and market integration, paving the way for new public-private partnerships and closer economic ties between both regions.
Delivering results under Global Gateway
Powering a resilient, connected region
LAC countries are accelerating the development of transformative cross-border electric infrastructure to forge cohesive regional energy markets. To support this objective, a €6.86 billion worth Bi-regional Initiative on Regional Electricity Integration will fund 24 projects over the next years to boost clean energy generation, transmission and trade. With €2.73 billion in the process of being committed by Team Europe, the initiative combines technical support and large-scale infrastructure investment. It will enhance grid efficiency and resilience, improve cost-effectiveness, and accelerate the use of renewable energy sources.
This effort is rolled out as part of the Global Gateway strategy, and in cooperation with major financial partners. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing up to €2 billion, out of which €1 billion will boost electricity integration and energy transition in Central America. EU development finance institutions are also contributing significant resources. The initiative is implemented in coordination with key regional institutions including CELAC, the Latin American Energy Organization, the IDB Group, CAF, and the institutions of the Central American Electricity Market and of the Andean Community.
Building resilience in the face of extreme weather
As hurricanes and floods intensify across the region, the EU and the Caribbean are launching Stormwatch, an advanced partnership on weather, forecasting, and climate services for disaster risk management.
Through Copernicus, the EU’s Earth observation programme, the Caribbean will gain access to advanced satellite data, meteorological infrastructure, such as the Destination Earth platform and EU supercomputing capacity. This access will support the region by improving tropical cyclone modelling, early warning systems and long-term climate planning.
A new Copernicus Competence Centre at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology will also be established and serve as a hub for expertise. The EU is contributing €1.5 million to the support the Institute in responding to extreme weather events, monitoring both regions and promoting coordination regionally and across the Atlantic.
Launching the EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI
First announced at the Global Gateway Forum in October 2025, the EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI is now being officially launched. It transforms the Forums’ momentum and the €15 million in commitments from the EU, Spain and Brazil into concrete cooperation among research and innovation hubs across Europe and Latin America. The network will connect high-performance computing centres to accelerate scientific collaboration and data-driven innovation.
In parallel, the BELLA programme will expand its reach through cable capacity sharing, relying on the Ellalink fibre-optic cable linking Europe and Brazil, to include Costa Rica and Guatemala by the end of 2025 and will continue to connect Central America, Peru and the Caribbean in 2026. These initiatives will further boost digital cooperation, data sharing, and innovation across the Atlantic.
Connecting the region by satellite
Through Global Gateway and the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, the EU is supporting the expansion of reliable, shared satellite telecom infrastructure across the region. Led by Hispasat, a European satellite operator, and backed by €22.5 million in EU and Spanish grants, the initiative is expected to leverage up to €864 million for projects in Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union.
It will improve access to education, healthcare and e-government services, while creating secure networks for public institutions such as the police, judiciary and border authorities. Supported by Spain and CAF, the initiative will result in a jointly designed and operated regional satellite owned by the region. This step will strengthen the technological sovereignty of participating countries, enabling the design and management of public policies independently of foreign operators and bringing digital access to the most remote parts of the Amazon and Caribbean islands.
Transforming seaweed invasion into an opportunity
The EU reinforces its commitment to the Caribbean to transform the growing environmental challenge of sargassum seaweed accumulation into a sustainable economic opportunity. This flagship initiative supports the creation of regional value chains and green industries for sargassum processing.
Responding to repeated calls from Caribbean and Latin American leaders, the European Union has positioned itself as a convener and catalyst for action, helping transform the sargassum crisis into an opportunity for economic growth, innovation, and regional cooperation. Our approach combines EU technology, investment, and government engagement to deliver value-generating, bankable, and circular economy solutions.
In total, over €300 million in potential loans and €60 million in potential grants have been identified as Team Europe support to address sargassum-related investments across the region. The introduction of innovative open Expressions of Interest allows to mobilise private companies and investors and bring forward concrete, scalable solutions.
Building on the announcement made at the EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum in October 2025, the EU will be further supporting the ambitions of Grenada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic to turn 660,000 tonnes of sargassum into innovative solutions and new green jobs.
Reinforcing cooperation on citizen security
The EU is extending and topping up two long standing programmes, COPOLAD and EUROFRONT, with an additional €8 million each to continue their work until 2029 and broaden EUROFRONT’s geographical scope to Central America. Emphasis will be given to address emerging threats such as trafficking and drug-related violence while strengthening joint efforts on drug policy, migration management and the fight against organised crime through human rights-based, regional approaches to security.
Together with other key programmes such as EL PACCTO 2.0 against transnational organised crime, they form a central part of the new EU-LAC Alliance on Citizen Security launched at the CELAC-EU Summit, further enhancing bi-regional cooperation in line with the EU-LAC Partnership on Justice and Security.
Background
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity 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, we are creating essential links rather than dependencies and closing the global investment gap.
EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda
Launched during the 2023 EU-CELAC Summit, the EU-LAC GGIA is the cornerstone of the EU’s partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean. Mobilising €45 billion from Team Europe – the EU, its Member States, development financing institutions including the European Investment Bank and the private sector – to deliver projects that are green, digital, people-centred and fair.
For More Information
Global Gateway
Global Gateway Investment Agenda
Americas and the Caribbean
Joint Declaration of the CELAC-EU Summit
EU-CELAC relations: Infographic
