The Global Gateway Initiative on Digital Connectivity aims at providing an opportunity for Central Asian countries to diversify their partnerships, with a focus on sustainable and inclusive development. Satellite-linked data infrastructure will enable the hosting of critical data infrastructure and services in a secure, internationally interconnected and environmentally friendly manner, increasing sovereignty and resilience.
This project contributes to sharing the European approach and expertise on connectivity, cybersecurity and green data centres, where Europe is recognised as a global leader.
Objectives
Soft connectivity and enabling environment
To enable this infrastructure investment, the project will support the development of the countries’ governance in sectors such as telecoms reform, cybersecurity, and personal data protection. Focusing on soft connectivity and enabling environment is a key component for the development and deployment of a sustainable and inclusive satellite connectivity.
Four pillars of action are included:
- to enhance the policy and regulatory framework enabling the development and the deployment of sustainable and inclusive satellite connectivity and its middle-mile terrestrial infrastructures
- to foster transparent and inclusive access to public and private connectivity services to the “last-mile” through increased use of open, affordable, safe and secure broadband for everyone, with a focus on rural areas and stronger efforts for reaching the most marginalised right holders
- to foster local digital innovation with a specific technical focus on satellite connectivity
- to build cybersecurity capacity, promote cybersecurity awareness among stakeholders, and establish a comprehensive cybersecurity framework
Hard infrastructure
The hard infrastructure objective is devoted to “hard connectivity” in the concrete form of infrastructure development. This will be implemented through the European Investment Bank, that tackles the investment needed for the satellite constellation and the deployment of ground infrastructure to spread connectivity across the region. It will exploit the newest technology for satellite connectivity provided by European private sector and act on the “middle mile connectivity” (from satellite to terminals distributed across the country).
Implementation
The implementation of the Soft connectivity and enabling environment’s objective, with a budget of EUR 20 million, is managed by a consortium of EU Member State agencies. This component, which was adopted in September 2023, began its operations in January 2025, concentrating on policy enhancement, access to services, fostering innovation, and strengthening cybersecurity. It follows an all-of-society approach, including everyone from national and local authorities to non-state actors, to ensure the digital development is inclusive and sustainable.
The support provided under this first component is not limited to enabling the infrastructure investments of the project. Rather, it more broadly enables an acceleration of digital connectivity in Central Asia, including through initiatives undertaken by other international partners.
The hard infrastructure’s component, conducted through the European Investment Bank (EIB), involves developing the necessary infrastructure and is supported by EUR 35 million in EU grants, to be complemented by EIB funds. All of it is channelled to an EU business establishing partnerships in Central Asia.
