European Union leaders have announced a 4.7 billion euro ($5.1 billion) investment package in South Africa to support green energy transition and vaccine production at their first bilateral summit in seven years.

European Union leaders announced a 4.7 billion euro ($5.10 billion) investment package during a visit to South Africa on Thursday, at a time when both are on worse terms with the United States than they have been for decades.

The EU and South Africa are forging stronger ties as they both grapple with aid and trade threats from the Trump administration in the United States.The European Union on Thursday announced a E4.7 billion investment package in South Africa to fund green energy projects and boost vaccine manufacturing.

Senior European Union officials are in South Africa for a summit with President Cyril Ramaphosa that centers on bolstering trade and diplomatic ties as both feel the impact of the Trump administration

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had lashed out on social media over comments critical of President Trump that the ambassador had made to a think tank in Johannesburg.

Ramaphosa aims to use South Africa’s G20 presidency to advocate for debt relief and climate financing for developing nations—priorities that have been downplayed by the U.S.

Trump has frozen aid to South Africa and falsely accused it of seizing private land, something that has not happened since the end of White-minority rule in 1994.

The eighth EU-South Africa summit will be held in Cape Town this week, with both sides seeking strategic and reliable partners in the wake of hostilities by the United States.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced a new 4.7 billion euro ($5.10 billion) investment package for South Africa on a visit to the country. Von der Leyen said the Global Gateway investment package was to support a just energy transition,

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a €4.7 billion investment package for South Africa, on her visit to the country for the EU-South Africa summit.