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The Spanish government is pursuing a markedly separate course from several Western nations when it comes to migration policies and cooperation with the continent of Africa.

While nations including the United States, UK, France and Federal Republic of Germany are cutting back their foreign assistance funding, Spain continues dedicated to increasing its involvement, though from a modest foundation.

Current Programs

Currently, the Madrid has been hosting an continent-endorsed "world conference on persons of African origin". The Madrid African conference will explore restorative justice and the formation of a fresh assistance program.

This demonstrates the newest evidence of how Madrid's leadership is working to enhance and expand its cooperation with the region that rests only a brief span to the southern direction, over the Mediterranean crossing.

Policy Structure

In July Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares established a fresh consultative body of distinguished academic, international relations and cultural figures, more than half of them African, to monitor the delivery of the comprehensive Madrid-Africa plan that his leadership published at the end of last year.

Additional diplomatic missions south of the Sahara, and partnerships in business and learning are arranged.

Movement Regulation

The distinction between Spain's approach and that of others in the West is not just in funding but in attitude and philosophy – and particularly evident than in addressing immigration.

Comparable with elsewhere in Europe, Government Leader Pedro Sanchez is seeking methods to control the influx of unauthorized entrants.

"For us, the movement dynamic is not only a issue of humanitarian values, unity and honor, but also one of logic," the government leader said.

Over 45,000 persons undertook the dangerous ocean journey from West African coastline to the island territory of the Canaries recently. Approximations of those who died while trying the crossing range between 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Practical Solutions

Madrid's government must house fresh migrants, process their claims and oversee their integration into larger population, whether short-term or more enduring.

Nonetheless, in terminology distinctly separate from the hostile messaging that comes from numerous EU governments, the Sanchez government frankly admits the challenging monetary conditions on the territory in the West African region that force persons to endanger themselves in the endeavor to achieve Europe.

Additionally, it strives to move beyond simply denying access to new arrivals. Conversely, it is developing creative alternatives, with a commitment to encourage human mobility that are secure, systematic and standardized and "mutually beneficial".

Economic Partnerships

During his visit to the Mauritanian Republic the previous year, Madrid's representative highlighted the participation that immigrants provide for the national finances.

Spain's leadership funds educational programs for unemployed youth in nations including Senegal, especially for unauthorized persons who have been returned, to assist them in creating sustainable income sources in their homeland.

And it has expanded a "rotational movement" initiative that offers West Africans limited-duration authorizations to arrive in the Iberian nation for restricted durations of seasonal work, mainly in agriculture, and then come home.

Strategic Importance

The basic concept supporting Spain's engagement is that Spain, as the European country most proximate to the continent, has an essential self interest in the continent's advancement toward inclusive and sustainable development, and peace and security.

That basic rationale might seem apparent.

Yet of course the past had directed Spain down a quite different path.

Besides a several North African presences and a minor equatorial territory – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its territorial acquisition in the historical period had primarily been focused overseas.

Forward Vision

The cultural dimension includes not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an expanded presence of the language promotion body, but also schemes to support the movement of scholarly educators and scholars.

Protection partnership, measures regarding environmental shifts, women's empowerment and an enhanced consular representation are unsurprising components in the current climate.

Nonetheless, the approach also places significant emphasis it places on assisting democratic values, the continental organization and, in particular, the regional West African group the West African economic bloc.

This constitutes welcome public encouragement for the entity, which is presently facing significant challenges after seeing its 50th anniversary year marred by the withdrawal of the Sahelian states – Burkina Faso, the Malian Republic and the Sahel territory – whose governing armed forces have declined to adhere with its standard for political freedom and good governance.

Meanwhile, in a statement aimed similarly at Spain's internal population as its sub-Saharan partners, the foreign ministry stated "assisting the African community abroad and the battle against prejudice and anti-foreigner sentiment are also crucial objectives".

Fine words of course are only a first step. But in contemporary pessimistic worldwide environment such terminology really does appear distinctive.