The Spanish Radically Different Method to Migration from Africa

The Spanish government is pursuing a noticeably unique direction from many European countries when it comes to immigration strategies and relations toward the continent of Africa.

Whereas countries like the USA, Britain, French Republic and Germany are cutting back their foreign assistance funding, Madrid stays focused to enhancing its participation, albeit from a lower starting point.

Current Programs

Currently, the capital city has been accommodating an continent-endorsed "international gathering on individuals with African heritage". The African diaspora summit will discuss restorative justice and the establishment of a fresh assistance program.

This represents the most recent sign of how Madrid's leadership is seeking to deepen and expand its cooperation with the region that lies just a short distance to the southern direction, beyond the Gibraltar passage.

Policy Structure

During summer External Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares initiated a new advisory council of renowned scholarly, diplomatic and heritage experts, more than half of them from Africa, to monitor the execution of the comprehensive Madrid-Africa plan that his government released at the end of last year.

Additional diplomatic missions south of the Sahara, and partnerships in commerce and academic are planned.

Migration Management

The contrast between Spain's approach and that of others in the West is not just in spending but in attitude and outlook – and particularly evident than in handling immigration.

Like other European locations, Government Leader Madrid's chief executive is looking for ways to control the entry of unauthorized entrants.

"In our view, the movement dynamic is not only a matter of ethical standards, solidarity and dignity, but also one of rationality," the government leader stated.

More than 45,000 people undertook the dangerous ocean journey from the Atlantic African shore to the overseas region of the Canary Islands recently. Approximations of those who lost their lives while making the attempt vary from 1,400 to a staggering 10,460.

Workable Approaches

The Spanish administration has to accommodate recent entrants, process their claims and handle their incorporation into wider society, whether temporary or more enduring.

Nevertheless, in language noticeably distinct from the confrontational statements that emanates from numerous EU governments, the Madrid leadership frankly admits the difficult financial circumstances on the region in Western Africa that push people to jeopardize their safety in the effort to reach Europe.

Furthermore, it attempts to exceed simply denying access to incoming migrants. Conversely, it is designing original solutions, with a promise to promote human mobility that are secure, organized and regular and "jointly profitable".

Commercial Cooperation

While traveling to Mauritania last year, the Spanish leader highlighted the contribution that immigrants contribute to the Iberian economic system.

The Spanish government finances educational programs for jobless young people in countries such as Senegal, notably for unauthorized persons who have been sent back, to assist them in creating workable employment options back home.

Furthermore, it increased a "circular migration" initiative that gives persons from the region temporary permits to come to Spain for restricted durations of periodic labor, primarily in farming, and then return.

Geopolitical Relevance

The basic concept supporting Madrid's outreach is that the Iberian nation, as the EU member state most proximate to the continent, has an vital national concern in the continent's advancement toward equitable and enduring progress, and stability and safety.

This fundamental reasoning might seem evident.

Yet of course history had taken the Iberian state down a distinctly separate route.

Other than a several North African presences and a compact tropical possession – currently sovereign Equatorial Guinea – its colonial expansion in the 1500s and 1600s had mainly been directed across the Atlantic.

Prospective Direction

The cultural dimension includes not only advancement of Castilian, with an enhanced representation of the Cervantes Institute, but also programmes to assist the transfer of scholarly educators and researchers.

Security co-operation, measures regarding environmental shifts, gender equality and an increased international engagement are unsurprising components in the current climate.

However, the strategy also places significant emphasis it allocates for supporting democratic ideas, the African Union and, in specific, the West African regional organization the Economic Community of West African States.

This will be favorable governmental endorsement for the entity, which is currently under severe pressure after seeing its 50th anniversary year spoiled by the departure of the Sahelian states – the West African nation, Mali and the Sahel territory – whose ruling military juntas have refused to comply with its agreement regarding democratic governance and proper administration.

Meanwhile, in a message targeted as much at Madrid's domestic audience as its continental allies, the foreign ministry stated "helping persons of African origin and the battle against prejudice and xenophobia are also essential focuses".

Fine words of course are only a first step. But in the current negative global atmosphere such terminology really does stand out.