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The Spanish government is pursuing a distinctly different direction from many European countries when it comes to movement regulations and cooperation with the African mainland.

While states such as the US, Britain, France and Federal Republic of Germany are cutting back their development aid budgets, Madrid continues dedicated to expanding its involvement, albeit from a lower starting point.

New Initiatives

This week, the capital city has been hosting an continent-endorsed "international gathering on people of African descent". The African diaspora summit will explore reparative equity and the creation of a new development fund.

This demonstrates the newest evidence of how Spain's socialist-led government is working to enhance and expand its cooperation with the continent that rests only a brief span to the south, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Policy Structure

This past summer Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares established a fresh consultative body of distinguished academic, international relations and heritage experts, more than half of them African, to monitor the delivery of the thorough Spanish-African initiative that his leadership published at the end of last year.

Additional diplomatic missions in sub-Saharan regions, and cooperative ventures in commerce and learning are planned.

Movement Regulation

The difference between Spain's approach and that of other Western nations is not just in funding but in perspective and outlook – and especially noticeable than in addressing immigration.

Like different EU nations, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is looking for ways to contain the influx of unauthorized entrants.

"For us, the immigration situation is not only a issue of humanitarian values, solidarity and honor, but also one of logic," the government leader commented.

More than 45,000 people made the perilous sea crossing from the Atlantic African shore to the island territory of the Canaries recently. Estimates of those who perished while making the attempt extend from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Practical Solutions

The Spanish administration has to accommodate fresh migrants, review their cases and handle their incorporation into larger population, whether transient or more enduring.

Nonetheless, in rhetoric distinctly separate from the hostile messaging that emanates from several Western administrations, the Madrid leadership publicly recognizes the challenging monetary conditions on the ground in West Africa that push people to jeopardize their safety in the effort to reach the European continent.

Additionally, it strives to exceed simply denying access to new arrivals. Conversely, it is designing original solutions, with a commitment to promote human mobility that are secure, organized and routine and "jointly profitable".

Economic Partnerships

During his visit to the West African nation recently, the Spanish leader stressed the contribution that foreign workers make to the Iberian economic system.

Spain's leadership supports skill development initiatives for unemployed youth in countries such as the West African country, particularly for unauthorized persons who have been returned, to help them develop viable new livelihoods in their homeland.

Additionally, it enlarged a "circular migration" scheme that offers West Africans temporary permits to enter Spanish territory for limited periods of seasonal work, mostly in cultivation, and then return.

Policy Significance

The fundamental premise guiding Spain's engagement is that the Iberian nation, as the continental nation closest to the region, has an crucial domestic priority in the region's development toward equitable and enduring progress, and tranquility and protection.

That basic rationale might seem evident.

Nevertheless history had taken the Iberian state down a distinctly separate route.

Apart from a few Maghreb footholds and a minor equatorial territory – presently autonomous the Gulf of Guinea country – its territorial acquisition in the historical period had primarily been focused overseas.

Forward Vision

The cultural dimension includes not only advancement of Castilian, with an expanded presence of the language promotion body, but also programmes to support the mobility of academic teachers and researchers.

Protection partnership, action on climate change, women's empowerment and an enhanced consular representation are predictable aspects in the current climate.

Nonetheless, the plan also lays very public stress it assigns to assisting democratic values, the pan-African body and, in particular, the sub-Saharan cooperative body the Economic Community of West African States.

This constitutes welcome public encouragement for the organization, which is presently facing significant challenges after seeing its 50th anniversary year marred by the departure of the Sahel nations – the West African nation, the Malian Republic and the Sahel territory – whose governing armed forces have refused to comply with its standard for political freedom and effective leadership.

Simultaneously, in a communication directed equally toward the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the foreign ministry declared "assisting the African community abroad and the fight against racism and immigrant hostility are also essential focuses".

Eloquent statements of course are only a beginning stage. But in today's sour international climate such language really does stand out.