With Global Gateway, the EU aims to invest in sustainable growth and equitable partnerships beyond Europe. But how does this translate in practice? Using the port development in Benin as a case study, we examine what works, where tensions arise, and which choices lie behind them.
From this concrete example, we zoom out to the bigger picture: what cooperation model does Global Gateway apply? How do development objectives relate to trade and geopolitical interests? And what role do Belgium and the EU take in their partnerships with African counterparts?
An open conversation where policy and practice meet; critical, concrete, and forward-looking.
When: 10h45
Where: Studio 5
Language: English
Dr. Anissa Bougrea is a postdoctoral researcher and Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. Her research focuses on geopolitical shifts in development cooperation, with particular attention to the role of private finance. She analyzes how development policy is increasingly intertwined with security and power logics in North–South relations. Bougrea earned her PhD at Ghent University and publishes internationally on EU development policy, financial instruments, and decolonization.
Moudassirou Bachabi is Secretary-General of the Confédération Générale des Travailleurs du Bénin (CGTB), a trade union organization and international partner of WSM. He also works as an advisor at the National Employment Agency of Benin.
Dr. Amandine Sabourin is a Policy Analyst on European foreign and development policy at ECDPM. She specializes in EU development cooperation, aid effectiveness, civil society, and local governance. She previously worked at PLATFORMA and in French embassies across Europe. Sabourin holds a PhD in EU development policy and is a research fellow at the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
David Leyssens works at Enabel as a Portfolio Developer for Global Gateway projects, after previously serving as Country Director in Burundi. David comes from the civil society sector; he worked at Rikolto, where he served, among other roles, as Director of FoodWIN Belgium, Operations Director West Africa, and Regional Director East Africa. Before that, David played a role in the establishment of the Belgian sustainability network The Shift. His career began at Close the Gap, where he was responsible for digital-for-development projects and e-waste programmes in the African region.
Mario Lievens is Director at Port of Antwerp International, where since 2018 he has led the organization’s legal and corporate operations, strategy, and business development. With nearly a decade of experience within the Port of Antwerp, he combines a strong legal and financial background with in-depth expertise in port management, development, and international partnerships. In addition, he is Director of the APEC–Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center and shares his expertise as a guest lecturer at the University of Antwerp. Previously, he worked as a compliance officer at Port of Antwerp and as a compliance partner in the financial sector. He began his career as a lawyer.
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Forward Fest 2024 invites you to join the conversation, share your perspective, and collaborate with others to build a future that is fair, inclusive, and interconnected. Explore, learn, and contribute to the change our world needs.
LEARN, SHARE, INSPIRE
Prepare for a day filled with inspiring lectures, surprising workshops, and professional connections that will not only stimulate your thinking but also touch your heart. This is your chance to learn from leading thinkers, network with like-minded individuals, and actively contribute to a more just world.
You will soon be able to register for Forward Fest 2026 here.
Forward Fest is organized by 11.11.11, ngo-federation and VLIRUOS in collaboration with MO* with the support of Belgian development cooperation.
11.11.11
THE COALITION FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY.
11.11.11 aims to eradicate exploitation from the world. Everyone – anywhere in the world – has the right to a dignified existence. To truly make a change, power and resources must be distributed more fairly, and the current system must be questioned.
More info on 11.be
NGO-FEDERATIE
FLEMISH FEDERATION OF NGOS FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.
The ngo-federation represents its members to the federal and other governments, supports the members in their discussions with those governments, promotes cooperation within the sector, and strengthens the quality of NGOs’ operations.
More info on ngo-federatie.be
VLIRUOS
INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL CHALLENGES
VLIRUOS supports partnerships and scholarships between universities and colleges in both Flanders and the Global South, seeking innovative solutions for global as well as local challenges.
More info on vliruos.be
