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Spain is charting a markedly separate direction from many European countries when it comes to movement regulations and relations toward the African continent.

Whereas states such as the USA, United Kingdom, French Republic and Germany are cutting back their foreign assistance funding, the Spanish government continues dedicated to increasing its engagement, albeit from a modest foundation.

Current Programs

Currently, the Spanish capital has been accommodating an African Union-backed "world conference on persons of African origin". The African diaspora summit will examine corrective fairness and the creation of a innovative support mechanism.

This constitutes the newest evidence of how Madrid's leadership is seeking to deepen and expand its cooperation with the continent that rests only a few kilometres to the south, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Policy Structure

This past summer Foreign Minister the Spanish diplomat initiated a new advisory council of renowned scholarly, foreign service and heritage experts, the majority of them African, to supervise the delivery of the comprehensive Spanish-African initiative that his leadership unveiled at the close of the prior year.

New embassies south of the Sahara, and partnerships in business and learning are scheduled.

Movement Regulation

The distinction between the Spanish method and that of different European countries is not just in funding but in tone and mindset – and especially noticeable than in addressing population movement.

Like different EU nations, Prime Minister the Spanish premier is seeking methods to manage the entry of undocumented migrants.

"In our view, the movement dynamic is not only a matter of ethical standards, mutual support and dignity, but also one of rationality," the administration head said.

Over 45,000 persons made the perilous sea crossing from the Atlantic African shore to the island territory of the Atlantic islands last year. Calculations of those who lost their lives while making the attempt vary from 1,400 to a overwhelming 10,460.

Practical Solutions

Spain's leadership has to accommodate fresh migrants, evaluate their applications and handle their incorporation into larger population, whether temporary or more permanent.

However, in terminology markedly different from the confrontational statements that comes from several Western administrations, the Madrid leadership frankly admits the difficult financial circumstances on the ground in the West African region that push people to endanger themselves in the endeavor to achieve Europe.

And it is trying to move beyond simply denying access to recent entrants. Rather, it is developing creative alternatives, with a commitment to foster human mobility that are safe, systematic and regular and "mutually beneficial".

Economic Partnerships

On his trip to Mauritania recently, the Spanish leader emphasized the participation that immigrants provide for the Spanish economy.

Spain's leadership funds skill development initiatives for unemployed youth in states like the West African country, particularly for unauthorized persons who have been repatriated, to help them develop workable employment options in their native country.

Furthermore, it increased a "circular migration" programme that gives individuals from West Africa limited-duration authorizations to arrive in the Iberian nation for defined timeframes of periodic labor, primarily in farming, and then come home.

Strategic Importance

The core principle supporting Madrid's outreach is that Spain, as the EU member state nearest to the continent, has an essential self interest in the region's development toward comprehensive and lasting growth, and stability and safety.

The core justification might seem evident.

Nevertheless previous eras had guided the Spanish nation down a distinctly separate route.

Other than a several North African presences and a small tropical outpost – presently autonomous the Central African nation – its territorial acquisition in the 16th and 17th Centuries had primarily been focused toward the Americas.

Prospective Direction

The arts component includes not only advancement of Castilian, with an expanded presence of the Cervantes Institute, but also schemes to support the mobility of scholarly educators and scholars.

Defense collaboration, initiatives concerning global warming, gender equality and an enhanced consular representation are unsurprising components in contemporary circumstances.

Nonetheless, the approach also lays very public stress it places on supporting democratic ideas, the pan-African body and, in especial, the West African regional organization the West African economic bloc.

This will be positive official support for the entity, which is currently under severe pressure after observing its five-decade milestone marred by the walk-out of the Sahel nations – the Sahel country, the West African state and the Sahel territory – whose controlling military regimes have declined to adhere with its protocol on democracy and effective leadership.

Meanwhile, in a communication aimed similarly at Madrid's domestic audience as its African collaborators, the external affairs department said "supporting the African diaspora and the struggle versus discrimination and immigrant hostility are also crucial objectives".

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