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Madrid is adopting a markedly separate path from several Western nations when it comes to migration policies and relations toward the continent of Africa.

Although nations including the USA, United Kingdom, France and Federal Republic of Germany are reducing their foreign assistance funding, Spain stays focused to increasing its engagement, though from a reduced baseline.

New Initiatives

Recently, the capital city has been hosting an AU-supported "global summit on individuals with African heritage". AfroMadrid2025 will explore reparative equity and the establishment of a new development fund.

This constitutes the latest indication of how the Spanish administration is seeking to deepen and broaden its involvement with the region that rests only a short distance to the south, beyond the Gibraltar passage.

Policy Structure

In July International Relations Head the Spanish diplomat established a fresh consultative body of distinguished academic, foreign service and arts representatives, more than half of them of African origin, to oversee the delivery of the thorough Spain-Africa strategy that his administration released at the conclusion of the previous year.

New embassies south of the Sahara, and cooperative ventures in business and education are planned.

Migration Management

The contrast between Madrid's strategy and that of other Western nations is not just in expenditure but in perspective and philosophy – and especially noticeable than in handling immigration.

Like elsewhere in Europe, Prime Minister Madrid's chief executive is looking for ways to manage the arrival of unauthorized entrants.

"From our perspective, the immigration situation is not only a question of moral principles, solidarity and respect, but also one of logic," the prime minister said.

Exceeding 45,000 persons undertook the dangerous ocean journey from West African coastline to the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands recently. Estimates of those who lost their lives while trying the crossing vary from 1,400 to a overwhelming 10,460.

Workable Approaches

The Spanish administration needs to shelter new arrivals, process their claims and oversee their integration into wider society, whether short-term or more long-lasting.

Nevertheless, in terminology markedly different from the confrontational statements that emanates from many European capitals, the Madrid leadership openly acknowledges the difficult financial circumstances on the ground in the West African region that compel individuals to jeopardize their safety in the endeavor to achieve Europe.

Furthermore, it attempts to move beyond simply refusing entry to recent entrants. Instead, it is creating innovative options, with a pledge to foster movements of people that are protected, systematic and routine and "reciprocally advantageous".

Economic Partnerships

On his trip to Mauritania last year, Sanchez highlighted the participation that migrants provide for the national finances.

The Spanish government finances educational programs for unemployed youth in countries such as the Senegalese Republic, notably for unauthorized persons who have been sent back, to support them in establishing workable employment options in their homeland.

And it has expanded a "cyclical relocation" programme that gives individuals from West Africa temporary permits to come to Spain for limited periods of periodic labor, mainly in agriculture, and then return.

Strategic Importance

The fundamental premise guiding the Spanish approach is that the Iberian nation, as the European country most proximate to the region, has an crucial domestic priority in Africa's progress toward equitable and enduring progress, and tranquility and protection.

This fundamental reasoning might seem obvious.

Yet of course previous eras had guided the Spanish nation down a noticeably unique course.

Apart from a limited Mediterranean outposts and a small tropical outpost – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its colonial expansion in the 16th and 17th Centuries had mostly been oriented across the Atlantic.

Future Outlook

The arts component includes not only advancement of Castilian, with an increased footprint of the Cervantes Institute, but also programmes to help the transfer of scholarly educators and researchers.

Security co-operation, measures regarding environmental shifts, women's empowerment and an increased international engagement are expected elements in today's environment.

Nonetheless, the plan also places significant emphasis it places on supporting democratic ideas, the pan-African body and, in especial, the sub-Saharan cooperative body the Economic Community of West African States.

This represents welcome public encouragement for the entity, which is presently facing significant challenges after seeing its 50th anniversary year marred by the departure of the Sahel nations – Burkina Faso, Mali and the Nigerien Republic – whose controlling military regimes have chosen not to follow with its agreement regarding democratic governance and effective leadership.

Concurrently, in a statement targeted as much at Spain's internal population as its sub-Saharan partners, the international relations office declared "helping persons of African origin and the fight against racism and xenophobia are also key priorities".

Fine words of course are only a initial phase. But in today's sour international climate such terminology really does stand out.