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Spain is charting a markedly separate direction from several developed states when it comes to immigration strategies and cooperation with the African mainland.

Whereas nations including the US, United Kingdom, French Republic and Germany are reducing their foreign assistance funding, Spain continues dedicated to increasing its engagement, even from a reduced baseline.

Current Programs

Recently, the Madrid has been hosting an AU-supported "world conference on individuals with African heritage". The Madrid African conference will explore corrective fairness and the establishment of a innovative support mechanism.

This demonstrates the most recent sign of how Spain's socialist-led government is seeking to deepen and expand its cooperation with the continent that sits merely a brief span to the southern direction, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Governmental Approach

This past summer Foreign Minister the Spanish diplomat launched a fresh consultative body of renowned scholarly, foreign service and arts representatives, more than half of them of African origin, to supervise the delivery of the comprehensive Madrid-Africa plan that his government unveiled at the close of the prior year.

New embassies in sub-Saharan regions, and partnerships in enterprise and learning are arranged.

Movement Regulation

The distinction between Spain's approach and that of others in the West is not just in spending but in tone and outlook – and nowhere more so than in addressing population movement.

Comparable with elsewhere in Europe, Administration Head Pedro Sanchez is seeking methods to manage the arrival of irregular arrivals.

"From our perspective, the migratory phenomenon is not only a issue of humanitarian values, mutual support and respect, but also one of logic," the government leader said.

More than 45,000 persons undertook the dangerous ocean journey from Africa's west coast to the overseas region of the Atlantic islands last year. Estimates of those who died while making the attempt extend from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Practical Solutions

The Spanish administration has to accommodate recent entrants, review their cases and oversee their integration into wider society, whether short-term or more permanent.

However, in language distinctly separate from the hostile messaging that emanates from many European capitals, the Madrid leadership publicly recognizes the difficult financial circumstances on the ground in West Africa that compel individuals to risk their lives in the endeavor to achieve Europe.

Additionally, it strives to move beyond simply saying "no" to new arrivals. Conversely, it is designing original solutions, with a promise to encourage human mobility that are safe, systematic and standardized and "mutually beneficial".

Financial Collaboration

On his trip to the Mauritanian Republic the previous year, Madrid's representative highlighted the participation that foreign workers contribute to the Spanish economy.

The Spanish government finances educational programs for youth without work in states like Senegal, notably for unauthorized persons who have been returned, to help them develop workable employment options back home.

Additionally, it enlarged a "circular migration" initiative that offers persons from the region temporary permits to arrive in the Iberian nation for limited periods of temporary employment, mostly in cultivation, and then go back.

Policy Significance

The basic concept guiding the Spanish approach is that Spain, as the EU member state closest to the mainland, has an vital national concern in the region's development toward inclusive and sustainable development, and peace and security.

That basic rationale might seem evident.

However the past had directed the Spanish nation down a quite different path.

Besides a several North African presences and a compact tropical possession – presently autonomous the Gulf of Guinea country – its colonial expansion in the 1500s and 1600s had mainly been directed toward the Americas.

Prospective Direction

The arts component includes not only promotion of the Spanish language, with an enhanced representation of the language promotion body, but also initiatives to support the mobility of academic teachers and researchers.

Security co-operation, measures regarding environmental shifts, women's empowerment and an expanded diplomatic presence are predictable aspects in the current climate.

Nevertheless, the strategy also puts notable focus it allocates for assisting democratic values, the African Union and, in particular, the West African regional organization Ecowas.

This will be welcome public encouragement for the entity, which is presently facing significant challenges after witnessing its half-century celebration marred by the walk-out of the Sahelian states – the Sahel country, Mali and the Nigerien Republic – whose ruling military juntas have refused to comply with its agreement regarding democratic governance and good governance.

Meanwhile, in a communication directed equally toward the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the external affairs department said "supporting the African diaspora and the struggle versus discrimination and immigrant hostility are also essential focuses".

Impressive rhetoric of course are only a initial phase. But in the current negative global atmosphere such terminology really does distinguish itself.