During a diplomatic mission to Cape Town, the European Commission announced negotiations for a Clean Trade and Investment Partnership with South Africa. President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted South Africa's potential to lead globally with abundant clean energy sources and critical raw materials essential for electrolysis. The EU plans a €4.7 billion investment through the Global Gateway scheme for raw material processing and infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of value addition in South Africa. Projects include green hydrogen production, a rail link to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for mineral transportation, and efforts towards peace in conflict areas like Ukraine and the DRC. The EU also reiterated its commitment to the Just Energy Transition Partnership, pledging financial support for South Africa's green transition post the COP26 summit. Von der Leyen emphasized the EU's continuous support, in contrast to the US withdrawal from similar initiatives. Furthermore, the EU established partnerships with Indonesia and Vietnam to aid in their clean energy transitions, demonstrating a sustained commitment to global environmental goals.