From human development to human capital development? Critical reflections on the EU education and skills policies in Africa with a focus on the Global Gateway

Margarita Langthaler and Esther Tiefengraber

No 44/2026, Policy Notes from Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE)

Abstract: The Global Gateway is considered a key instrument of EU development cooperation. Introduced in 2021, it was announced as a 'win-win' strategy for both, the EU's competitiveness agenda and developing countries' strive for sustainable development. The Global Gateway epitomises the current shifts in EU development policy from a focus on poverty reduction to infrastructure investments to boost economic development. These shifts have also affected the EU's education sector support strategies introducing a focus on employability and aiming at an enabling role of education for economic investments. This Policy Note critically discusses some of these trends at the sub-levels of basic, vocational and higher education, as well as the potential risks attached to them, particularly in Africa.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:oefsep:337480

DOI: 10.60637/2026-pn44

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