Madrid's Unique Approach to Movement from the African Continent

Spain is charting a distinctly different direction from many developed states when it comes to migration policies and relations toward the African mainland.

While states such as the USA, United Kingdom, French Republic and Germany are cutting back their foreign assistance funding, the Spanish government stays focused to enhancing its involvement, albeit from a modest foundation.

New Initiatives

This week, the capital city has been hosting an African Union-backed "global summit on people of African descent". The Madrid African conference will examine reparative equity and the creation of a fresh assistance program.

This represents the latest indication of how Madrid's leadership is seeking to deepen and broaden its involvement with the continent that sits merely a brief span to the south, over the Mediterranean crossing.

Policy Structure

During summer International Relations Head José Manuel Albares initiated a fresh consultative body of prominent intellectual, international relations and heritage experts, over 50 percent of them from Africa, to monitor the delivery of the thorough Spanish-African initiative that his administration unveiled at the end of last year.

Additional diplomatic missions south of the Sahara, and collaborations in enterprise and learning are planned.

Movement Regulation

The distinction between Spain's approach and that of others in the West is not just in expenditure but in tone and mindset – and especially noticeable than in dealing with migration.

Similar to other European locations, Administration Head Madrid's chief executive is exploring approaches to contain the influx of irregular arrivals.

"For us, the migratory phenomenon is not only a question of moral principles, unity and respect, but also one of reason," the prime minister commented.

Over 45,000 individuals undertook the dangerous ocean journey from West African coastline to the island territory of the Canaries the previous year. Estimates of those who died while trying the crossing vary from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Effective Measures

Madrid's government must house fresh migrants, evaluate their applications and oversee their integration into larger population, whether temporary or more long-lasting.

However, in language markedly different from the adversarial communication that originates from several Western administrations, the Sanchez government openly acknowledges the hard economic realities on the territory in the West African region that force persons to jeopardize their safety in the attempt to attain Europe.

Additionally, it strives to transcend simply refusing entry to new arrivals. Rather, it is developing creative alternatives, with a pledge to promote human mobility that are secure, orderly and regular and "mutually beneficial".

Commercial Cooperation

During his visit to Mauritania the previous year, the Spanish leader highlighted the contribution that foreign workers provide for the Spanish economy.

Madrid's administration finances educational programs for youth without work in nations including the Senegalese Republic, especially for unauthorized persons who have been sent back, to help them develop sustainable income sources in their homeland.

And it has expanded a "circular migration" initiative that provides West Africans limited-duration authorizations to enter Spanish territory for defined timeframes of seasonal work, primarily in farming, and then return.

Strategic Importance

The basic concept underlying Spain's engagement is that Spain, 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.

That basic rationale might seem apparent.

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

Besides a few Maghreb footholds and a small tropical outpost – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its colonial expansion in the historical period had primarily been focused across the Atlantic.

Future Outlook

The cultural dimension incorporates not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an increased footprint of the Spanish cultural organization, but also initiatives to support the movement of academic teachers and investigators.

Security co-operation, initiatives concerning global warming, gender equality and an expanded diplomatic presence are expected elements in contemporary circumstances.

However, the strategy also places significant emphasis it assigns to backing democratic principles, the continental organization and, in especial, the regional West African group Ecowas.

This will be positive official support for the entity, which is presently facing significant challenges after observing its five-decade milestone spoiled by the walk-out of the Sahelian states – the West African nation, the Malian Republic and the Sahel territory – whose ruling military juntas have declined to adhere with its protocol on democracy and effective leadership.

Meanwhile, in a communication targeted as much at Spain's internal population as its continental allies, the international relations office declared "assisting the African community abroad and the struggle versus discrimination and immigrant hostility are also crucial objectives".

Impressive rhetoric of course are only a beginning stage. But in today's sour international climate such discourse really does appear distinctive.