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Madrid is adopting a markedly separate path from numerous Western nations when it comes to movement regulations and engagement with the continent of Africa.

Although countries like the USA, Britain, French Republic and Federal Republic of Germany are slashing their foreign assistance funding, Spain remains committed to increasing its engagement, though from a modest foundation.

New Initiatives

This week, the capital city has been hosting an African Union-backed "international gathering on people of African descent". The Madrid African conference will discuss restorative justice and the creation of a innovative support mechanism.

This constitutes the newest evidence of how Spain's socialist-led government is working to enhance and expand its cooperation with the mainland that rests only a short distance to the southern direction, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Strategic Framework

This past summer International Relations Head the Spanish diplomat established a recent guidance panel of prominent intellectual, international relations and arts representatives, more than half of them of African origin, to supervise the delivery of the thorough Madrid-Africa plan that his government published at the close of the prior year.

Fresh consular offices below the Sahara desert, and cooperative ventures in enterprise and academic are planned.

Migration Management

The difference between Madrid's strategy and that of others in the West is not just in expenditure but in tone and outlook – and especially noticeable than in dealing with immigration.

Comparable with different EU nations, Administration Head the Spanish premier is exploring approaches to contain the entry of undocumented migrants.

"In our view, the migratory phenomenon is not only a question of moral principles, mutual support and honor, but also one of reason," the prime minister stated.

More than 45,000 people attempted the hazardous maritime passage from the Atlantic African shore to the Spanish archipelago of the Atlantic islands last year. Approximations of those who perished while making the attempt range between 1,400 to a overwhelming 10,460.

Effective Measures

Madrid's government has to accommodate new arrivals, evaluate their applications and oversee their integration into wider society, whether temporary or more enduring.

Nevertheless, in terminology distinctly separate from the confrontational statements that comes from numerous EU governments, the Sanchez government frankly admits the hard economic realities on the territory in the West African region that push people to jeopardize their safety in the effort to reach the European continent.

Furthermore, it attempts to move beyond simply refusing entry to new arrivals. Conversely, it is developing creative alternatives, with a promise to promote movements of people that are safe, organized and standardized and "reciprocally advantageous".

Financial Collaboration

While traveling to the Mauritanian Republic last year, Madrid's representative highlighted the participation that migrants contribute to the Iberian economic system.

Spain's leadership finances skill development initiatives for youth without work in nations including Senegal, particularly for irregular migrants who have been sent back, to help them develop sustainable income sources back home.

Additionally, it enlarged a "circular migration" programme that provides West Africans short-term visas to enter Spanish territory for restricted durations of periodic labor, mainly in agriculture, and then go back.

Strategic Importance

The core principle supporting Spain's engagement is that the European country, as the EU member state nearest to the mainland, has an crucial domestic priority in the region's development toward equitable and enduring progress, and peace and security.

This fundamental reasoning might seem apparent.

Yet of course history had taken Spain down a quite different path.

Other than a limited Mediterranean outposts and a small tropical outpost – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its imperial growth in the 1500s and 1600s had mainly been directed toward the Americas.

Forward Vision

The cultural dimension incorporates not only advancement of Castilian, with an enhanced representation of the Spanish cultural organization, but also programmes to support the mobility of academic teachers and researchers.

Defense collaboration, action on climate change, women's empowerment and an enhanced consular representation are expected elements in contemporary circumstances.

Nevertheless, the plan also puts notable focus it assigns to assisting democratic values, the African Union and, in specific, the sub-Saharan cooperative body the Economic Community of West African States.

This constitutes favorable governmental endorsement for the latter, which is currently under severe pressure after witnessing its half-century celebration spoiled by the withdrawal of the Sahel nations – Burkina Faso, the Malian Republic and the Nigerien Republic – whose ruling military juntas have declined to adhere with its agreement regarding democratic governance and effective leadership.

Meanwhile, in a statement targeted as much at the national citizenry as its sub-Saharan partners, the external affairs department stated "helping persons of African origin and the battle against prejudice and anti-foreigner sentiment are also crucial objectives".

Eloquent statements of course are only a beginning stage. But in today's sour international climate such terminology really does distinguish itself.