Brussels – Slovakia aims to participate in Team Europe and the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy, which offers opportunities for Slovak companies to engage in third countries. Following the conclusion of the two-day Global Gateway forum in Brussels, Rastislav Chovanec, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, made this announcement to TASR. The event featured the renowned Slovak scientist Pavol Čekan, invited by the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen.
Team Europe, representing the countries and institutions of the EU, has mobilized over 306 billion euros in the last four years to bolster EU partnerships globally. Rastislav Chovanec highlighted that this initiative provides significant potential for European, and specifically Slovak companies, to establish a presence in third countries, particularly less developed nations targeted by the initiative. He noted that Slovakia, being a smaller country with fewer dominant corporations, has not yet seen significant investments via Team Europe, but that is changing.
Slovakia intends to utilize Global Gateway for investments in Ukraine and is planning investments in Kenya
“Thanks to the Ukraine tool, the first 100 million euros have been approved in Brussels through a collaboration between Eximbank and the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation. This initiative will address four energy projects in Ukraine,” he explained.
Chovanec expressed optimism that this could guide Slovak companies on how to engage with the Global Gateway initiative. He mentioned ongoing preparations for a project in Kenya valued at tens of millions of euros, although specifics are not yet finalized. Slovakia can draw on its experience in Kenya, as it has been prioritized in Slovak development diplomacy. “Due to our strong contacts with government officials there and having an embassy, we’ve successfully piqued the interest of Kenyan partners in the Slovak project. We hope to see it materialize,” Chovanec remarked.
He asserted that the benefit of EU development aid lies in its ability to facilitate access to the markets of developing nations that struggle with funding. The EU, through export banks like Eximbank, finances a variety of projects. Investing companies face reduced risks as their investments are secured by EU guarantees, while recipient countries can realize investments with guaranteed financial backing.
Slovakia aims to continue being part of Team Europe, which provides access to markets in third countries. Chovanec expressed approval for ongoing discussions about investment support worth tens of millions of euros for smaller enterprises, which is beneficial for Slovakia, given its limited number of large companies capable of executing projects worth hundreds of millions abroad. “We will request the European Commission’s support for projects within the units and tens of millions of euros, allowing us to establish ourselves in these countries,” Chovanec stated.
Proposal from the Slovak Republic for EU support of clinical studies as strategic projects in healthcare
Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EC, invited ten CEOs from EU countries, including Pavol Čekan, head of MultiplexDX, to the Global Gateway 2025 forum. He announced via social media on Thursday that he proposed EU support for clinical studies as strategic projects, fostering collaboration among European pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, hospitals, regulatory bodies, physicians, and researchers.
“This approach can bring innovative medical technologies and medicines to the most challenging environments and save lives,” asserted Pavol Čekan. (October 9)
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