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The Spanish government is pursuing a markedly separate direction from many European countries when it comes to movement regulations and relations toward the African continent.

Whereas nations including the USA, United Kingdom, France and Federal Republic of Germany are slashing their international support allocations, the Spanish government remains committed to enhancing its participation, though from a modest foundation.

Current Programs

This week, the Madrid has been accommodating an continent-endorsed "global summit on individuals with African heritage". The African diaspora summit will discuss restorative justice and the establishment of a innovative support mechanism.

This constitutes the newest evidence of how Spain's socialist-led government is seeking to deepen and expand its cooperation with the mainland that lies just a few kilometres to the southern direction, across the Straits of Gibraltar.

Policy Structure

During summer International Relations Head the Spanish diplomat established a new advisory council of renowned scholarly, international relations and arts representatives, over 50 percent of them of African origin, to oversee the implementation of the comprehensive Spain-Africa strategy that his government released at the conclusion of the previous year.

Additional diplomatic missions below the Sahara desert, and partnerships in business and education are scheduled.

Migration Management

The distinction between the Spanish method and that of other Western nations is not just in expenditure but in tone and mindset – and nowhere more so than in dealing with population movement.

Similar to different EU nations, Prime Minister Madrid's chief executive is exploring approaches to contain the influx of undocumented migrants.

"From our perspective, the migratory phenomenon is not only a matter of ethical standards, unity and dignity, but also one of rationality," the prime minister commented.

More than 45,000 people undertook the dangerous ocean journey from Africa's west coast to the island territory of the Canary Islands last year. Approximations of those who lost their lives while making the attempt vary from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Workable Approaches

Madrid's government needs to shelter recent entrants, process their claims and oversee their integration into broader community, whether transient or more enduring.

However, in language noticeably distinct from the adversarial communication that comes from several Western administrations, the Madrid leadership publicly recognizes the challenging monetary conditions on the region in Western Africa that push people to risk their lives in the attempt to attain Europe.

Additionally, it strives to move beyond simply saying "no" to recent entrants. Instead, it is developing creative alternatives, with a commitment to promote population flows that are protected, organized and routine and "mutually beneficial".

Economic Partnerships

While traveling to Mauritania recently, the Spanish leader highlighted the contribution that migrants provide for the Iberian economic system.

Madrid's administration finances skill development initiatives for unemployed youth in nations including Senegal, notably for unauthorized persons who have been repatriated, to support them in establishing workable employment options back home.

Additionally, it enlarged a "cyclical relocation" initiative that provides individuals from West Africa temporary permits to arrive in the Iberian nation for restricted durations of periodic labor, primarily in farming, and then go back.

Policy Significance

The fundamental premise guiding the Spanish approach is that the Iberian nation, as the EU member state most proximate to the mainland, has an essential self interest in the continent's advancement toward equitable and enduring progress, and peace and security.

The core justification might seem evident.

Yet of course previous eras had guided the Iberian state down a distinctly separate route.

Besides a limited Mediterranean outposts and a small tropical outpost – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its imperial growth in the historical period had mainly been directed across the Atlantic.

Future Outlook

The arts component encompasses not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an enhanced representation of the language promotion body, but also programmes to help the mobility of academic teachers and investigators.

Protection partnership, action on climate change, women's empowerment and an enhanced consular representation are unsurprising components in today's environment.

However, the approach also places significant emphasis it assigns to assisting democratic values, the continental organization and, in particular, the West African regional organization the West African economic bloc.

This will be positive official support for the organization, which is now experiencing substantial difficulties after seeing its 50th anniversary year tainted by the departure of the Sahel nations – the Sahel country, the Malian Republic and Niger – whose governing armed forces have refused to comply with its agreement regarding democratic governance and good governance.

Meanwhile, in a statement targeted as much at the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the international relations office said "helping persons of African origin and the struggle versus discrimination and xenophobia are also essential focuses".

Eloquent statements of course are only a initial phase. But in the current negative global atmosphere such language really does distinguish itself.