CSOs Recommendations on the Human Centred Digitalisation Phase II CSOs Recommendations on the Human Centred Digitalisation Phase
The Global Gateway (GG) initiative, launched by the European Union (EU) and Member States, represents a strategic commitment to mobilizing up to €300 billion in investments across key sectors such as digital transformation, climate and energy, transport, education, and health. As a cornerstone of the EU’s contribution to narrowing the global infrastructure investment gap, the initiative aligns with the UN’s Agenda 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes democratic values, good governance, transparency, green and clean approaches, and security while leveraging private sector participation.
In Kenya, the Global Gateway prioritizes human-centered digitalization, allocating €435 million across 32 projects to bridge the digital divide, accelerate digital economic transformation, and promote open and inclusive digital governance. This focus reflects shared priorities between the EU and Kenya as articulated in frameworks such as the National Digital Master Plan, MTP IV, EU Digital Rights Principles, and climate commitments. The initiative also seeks to reduce inequalities, address youth unemployment by fostering digital economy opportunities, and align policies with broader geopolitical and regulatory contexts.
Recognizing the critical role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in shaping the success of these efforts, the META consortium hosted a structured dialogue for CSOs in Kenya on December 3, 2024 with 62 diverse CSOs.
The main objective of this session was to provide CSOs with a platform to share their inputs, perspectives, and insights on the new Annual Action Programme for HumanCentered Digitalization Phase II. The session facilitated discussions on the framework for the EU-Kenya cooperation on digitalisation, preparation for the new action and the process, key components of the new action and a CSO dialogues on key factors such as inclusivity, localisation, political context in the 2027 general elections among other priority issues.
This report documents the outcomes of the dialogue, highlighting CSOs’ recommendations for ensuring inclusivity, transparency, accountability and local relevance in the GG’s implementation. It serves as a foundational step toward fostering meaningful engagement and advancing the success of human-centered digitalization initiatives in Kenya.