With its digital geopolitics, the European Union is pursuing a regulatory approach that prioritises data protection and privacy and reconciles innovation and market orientation with premises of sustainable development. But to what extent is this model also attractive and suitable for the rapidly developing countries of the Global South? Whether the global digital economy will become inclusive, fair and sustainable and enable equal development opportunities for all will be decided in the coming years. Against this backdrop, the European Union (EU) has made increased efforts in recent years to position itself as a major player in digital geopolitics with an alternative approach, alongside the US and China: Its regulatory model, which emphasises the protection of individuals' data and privacy, combines innovation and market orientation with sustainable development goals. Furthermore, the European Union has intensified its cooperation with the African Union (AU) on digital policy and economy issues in recent years.

However, there has been insufficient research on the extent to which the European approach is an attractive model for the rapidly developing and growing regions in the Global South. The aim of this project was therefore to address the existing gaps in knowledge and to develop a policy paper on the positioning of the European Union in digital geopolitics. In addition, two expert discussions - one at German, one at European level - were implemented. The aim was to gain new insights for the strategic further development of German as well as European digital development cooperation.

Download the study: Digital for Development - an analysis from a geopolitical perspective

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