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Madrid is adopting a distinctly different course from numerous Western nations when it comes to movement regulations and engagement with the continent of Africa.

Whereas countries like the USA, UK, French Republic and Germany are slashing their foreign assistance funding, Spain stays focused to enhancing its participation, even from a lower starting point.

New Initiatives

This week, the Spanish capital has been accommodating an African Union-backed "international gathering on persons of African origin". The African diaspora summit will explore restorative justice and the formation of a new development fund.

This represents the most recent sign of how Spain's socialist-led government is seeking to deepen and diversify its engagement with the continent that sits merely a short distance to the south, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Strategic Framework

During summer International Relations Head Madrid's top envoy launched a new advisory council of renowned scholarly, international relations and arts representatives, the majority of them African, to supervise the implementation of the detailed Spanish-African initiative that his government released at the end of last year.

Fresh consular offices in sub-Saharan regions, and collaborations in commerce and learning are planned.

Immigration Control

The contrast between Spain's approach and that of different European countries is not just in expenditure but in perspective and outlook – and nowhere more so than in handling migration.

Like elsewhere in Europe, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is seeking methods to control the influx of unauthorized entrants.

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

Over 45,000 individuals undertook the dangerous ocean journey from West African coastline to the overseas region of the Atlantic islands last year. Approximations of those who perished while undertaking the journey extend from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Practical Solutions

The Spanish administration has to accommodate new arrivals, process their claims and oversee their integration into wider society, whether transient or more long-lasting.

Nonetheless, in rhetoric noticeably distinct from the hostile messaging that emanates from numerous EU governments, the Spanish administration publicly recognizes the difficult financial circumstances on the territory in Western Africa that push people to jeopardize their safety in the effort to reach EU territory.

And it is trying to transcend simply denying access to new arrivals. Instead, it is creating innovative options, with a pledge to encourage movements of people that are safe, systematic and regular and "mutually beneficial".

Financial Collaboration

On his trip to Mauritania last year, Sanchez emphasized the contribution that foreign workers provide for the Iberian economic system.

Spain's leadership finances training schemes for unemployed youth in countries such as the West African country, notably for unauthorized persons who have been repatriated, to support them in establishing viable new livelihoods back home.

Additionally, it enlarged a "rotational movement" initiative that offers West Africans temporary permits to arrive in the Iberian nation for defined timeframes of temporary employment, mainly in agriculture, and then return.

Policy Significance

The basic concept underlying Spain's engagement is that the European country, as the European country most proximate to the mainland, has an essential self interest in the region's development toward comprehensive and lasting growth, and stability and safety.

That basic rationale might seem evident.

However the past had directed the Iberian state down a noticeably unique course.

Other than a few Maghreb footholds and a minor equatorial territory – presently autonomous the Central African nation – its territorial acquisition in the 1500s and 1600s had primarily been focused overseas.

Future Outlook

The heritage aspect incorporates not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an increased footprint of the language promotion body, but also schemes to help the movement of academic teachers and researchers.

Defense collaboration, measures regarding environmental shifts, female advancement and an enhanced consular representation are unsurprising components in the current climate.

Nevertheless, the plan also lays very public stress it assigns to backing democratic principles, the African Union and, in particular, the regional West African group the Economic Community of West African States.

This will be favorable governmental endorsement for the organization, which is currently under severe pressure after seeing its 50th anniversary year marred by the departure of the Sahelian states – the West African nation, Mali and the Sahel territory – whose governing armed forces have chosen not to follow with its protocol on democracy and effective leadership.

Simultaneously, in a statement aimed similarly at the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the international relations office declared "supporting the African diaspora and the struggle versus discrimination and immigrant hostility are also key priorities".

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