Philippe Van Damme examines the substantive challenge in regulating the Global Europe instrument: reconciling EU geopolitical ambitions with its commitments to a rules- and values-based international order.
What's new?
Commentary
Unlocking investment in the Abidjan-Lagos cassava corridor with digital coordination
Brief
Global Europe: A geopolitical instrument in need of strong development safeguards
Brief
Bridging the gap between Geneva and Rome for inclusive agricultural trade
Podcast
Is the Lobito Corridor mostly hype?
Paper
Lessons from EU member states’ Team National
Paper
Unlocking climate-resilient investment along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor through agro-logistics and cassava value chains
Paper
Unlocking climate-resilient agrologistics and cold chain investments along the Northern Corridor
Commentary
At the Ankara summit: Can NATO and the EU finally coordinate on the Indo-Pacific?
Corporate document
Annual Report 2025
Brief
Strategic procurement in Global Europe: Why EU preferences risk undermining its own ambitions
Meet our experts
Who we are
We are ECDPM – a leading independent 'think and do tank' that wants to make policies for Europe, Africa and other key partners work for inclusive and sustainable development. Our policy experts provide independent analysis, thorough research, fresh ideas, advice and training on topics related to climate, energy and food, economy and trade, geopolitics and development, governance, migration and mobility, digital cooperation and peace and security.
Our projects
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Scaling investments in key African food corridors (2025-2026)
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The Netherlands’ food exports to fragile regions (2025-26)
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Building bridges in turbulent times (2025-2026)
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StEPPFoS project (2024 - 2027)
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DYNAMIG project (2023-2025)
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The political economy of clean economy transitions in African countries
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Africa-EU climate and energy diplomacy in times of geopolitical crisis (2022-2023)
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Africa-Europe relations: A balanced narrative and reality check project (2023)
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The Charter Project Africa (2021-2024)
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Cascading climate risks: Towards adaptive and resilient European societies – CASCADES project (2019-2023)
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Strategic evaluation of the EU cooperation with the Federal Republic of Somalia (2014-2021)
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AgrInvest project (2021-2022)
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The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project phase 2 (2021-2022)
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Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies – SASS project (2018-2021)
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Realising Europe’s soft power in external cooperation and trade – RESPECT project (2018-2021)
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The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project (2018-2020)
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Supporting peacebuilding in times of change project (2017-2018)
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The political economy of regional integration in Africa – PERIA project (2015-2016)
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The political economy of regional integration in Southern Africa – PERISA project (2012-2013)
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