South Africa lands €11.5bn EU funding for clean energy and medical advancements

Source: Reuters/Yves Herman; South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet in Brussels, Belgium, 9 October 2025.

A large chunk of the investment aims to accelerate South Africa's shift to renewable energy through new power-generation capacity, grid upgrades, energy storage and green hydrogen.

Africa's biggest economy is trying to woo investors to help lift flagging growth and bring down high unemployment, while US tariffs have also dealt it a blow.

The EU's statement mentioned the Coega Green Ammonia Project, which seeks to meet growing demand for green ammonia in agriculture, chemicals and mining, and bolstering production of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals in South Africa for the African continent.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged €4.7bn of investment in March during a visit to South Africa, and it was not immediately clear whether the latest investment pledge included that money or was in addition to it.

South Africa's export outlook took a knock from the 30% tariff US President Donald Trump imposed on its goods in August, as well as from the expiry of a major US trade initiative with Africa at the end of last month.

South African officials are trying to persuade the Trump administration to lower the 30% tariff.