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Madrid is adopting a distinctly different direction from several European countries when it comes to migration policies and engagement with the African continent.

While nations including the US, United Kingdom, French Republic and Germany are reducing their development aid budgets, Madrid stays focused to enhancing its participation, even from a reduced baseline.

Current Programs

This week, the Spanish capital has been hosting an continent-endorsed "world conference on people of African descent". AfroMadrid2025 will explore reparative equity and the formation of a fresh assistance program.

This constitutes the most recent sign of how Madrid's leadership is attempting to strengthen and diversify its engagement with the region that lies just a few kilometres to the south, over the Mediterranean crossing.

Governmental Approach

This past summer External Affairs Minister Madrid's top envoy initiated a recent guidance panel of distinguished academic, diplomatic and arts representatives, more than half of them from Africa, to monitor the execution of the detailed Madrid-Africa plan that his government unveiled at the conclusion of the previous year.

New embassies below the Sahara desert, and collaborations in business and academic are scheduled.

Immigration Control

The difference between Spain's approach and that of other Western nations is not just in spending but in attitude and mindset – and particularly evident than in handling immigration.

Comparable with elsewhere in Europe, Administration Head Madrid's chief executive is seeking methods to manage the entry of unauthorized entrants.

"For us, the migratory phenomenon is not only a question of moral principles, solidarity and honor, but also one of logic," the administration head stated.

Exceeding 45,000 people attempted the hazardous maritime passage from Africa's west coast to the overseas region of the Atlantic islands last year. Estimates of those who died while making the attempt vary from 1,400 to a staggering 10,460.

Effective Measures

Madrid's government must house recent entrants, review their cases and handle their incorporation into broader community, whether temporary or more permanent.

However, in terminology markedly different from the hostile messaging that originates from many European capitals, the Madrid leadership publicly recognizes the difficult financial circumstances on the territory in West Africa that force persons to endanger themselves in the attempt to attain the European continent.

Furthermore, it attempts to transcend simply refusing entry to new arrivals. Conversely, it is creating innovative options, with a pledge to promote human mobility that are protected, systematic and regular and "jointly profitable".

Financial Collaboration

During his visit to Mauritania last year, Sanchez highlighted the input that immigrants provide for the Spanish economy.

The Spanish government supports skill development initiatives for youth without work in nations including the Senegalese Republic, especially for undocumented individuals who have been returned, to assist them in creating sustainable income sources in their native country.

Furthermore, it increased a "rotational movement" programme that gives individuals from West Africa temporary permits to come to Spain for restricted durations of periodic labor, primarily in farming, and then return.

Geopolitical Relevance

The basic concept supporting Spain's engagement is that Spain, as the European country nearest to the region, has an essential self interest in Africa's progress toward comprehensive and lasting growth, and peace and security.

The core justification might seem obvious.

Yet of course history had taken Spain down a distinctly separate route.

Besides a several North African presences and a minor equatorial territory – today's independent the Gulf of Guinea country – its colonial expansion in the 16th and 17th Centuries had mostly been oriented across the Atlantic.

Prospective Direction

The arts component encompasses not only promotion of the Spanish language, with an enhanced representation of the Spanish cultural organization, but also schemes to assist the mobility of academic teachers and investigators.

Security co-operation, initiatives concerning global warming, women's empowerment and an enhanced consular representation are expected elements in today's environment.

Nonetheless, the approach also puts notable focus it allocates for assisting democratic values, the continental organization and, in especial, the regional West African group the West African economic bloc.

This constitutes welcome public encouragement for the organization, which is currently under severe pressure after observing its five-decade milestone spoiled by the walk-out of the Sahel nations – the West African nation, Mali and the Sahel territory – whose governing armed forces have chosen not to follow with its agreement regarding democratic governance and effective leadership.

Concurrently, in a communication targeted as much at Spain's internal population as its sub-Saharan partners, the international relations office stated "helping persons of African origin and the fight against racism and immigrant hostility are also crucial objectives".

Fine words of course are only a beginning stage. But in contemporary pessimistic worldwide environment such discourse really does appear distinctive.