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The Spanish government is pursuing a noticeably unique direction from many European countries when it comes to migration policies and cooperation with the continent of Africa.

While states such as the US, UK, France and Germany are reducing their foreign assistance funding, Spain stays focused to enhancing its involvement, albeit from a reduced baseline.

New Initiatives

Recently, the Spanish capital has been accommodating an African Union-backed "world conference on individuals with African heritage". The Madrid African conference will explore corrective fairness and the establishment of a new development fund.

This demonstrates the latest indication of how Madrid's leadership is attempting to strengthen and broaden its involvement with the mainland that rests only a short distance to the southern direction, beyond the Gibraltar passage.

Governmental Approach

In July External Affairs Minister the Spanish diplomat established a recent guidance panel of renowned scholarly, international relations and arts representatives, over 50 percent of them from Africa, to monitor the execution of the comprehensive Spanish-African initiative that his administration published at the conclusion of the previous year.

Additional diplomatic missions in sub-Saharan regions, and collaborations in commerce and academic are planned.

Migration Management

The difference between Spain's approach and that of different European countries is not just in funding but in attitude and outlook – and especially noticeable than in dealing with immigration.

Similar to different EU nations, Administration Head the Spanish premier is exploring approaches to contain the influx of irregular arrivals.

"From our perspective, the movement dynamic is not only a issue of humanitarian values, unity and dignity, but also one of reason," the government leader commented.

More than 45,000 people attempted the hazardous maritime passage from West African coastline to the island territory of the Atlantic islands last year. Estimates of those who perished while undertaking the journey extend from 1,400 to a astonishing 10,460.

Effective Measures

Madrid's government needs to shelter new arrivals, review their cases and oversee their integration into larger population, whether short-term or more enduring.

Nevertheless, in terminology markedly different from the hostile messaging that comes from many European capitals, the Spanish administration publicly recognizes the difficult financial circumstances on the ground in Western Africa that compel individuals to risk their lives in the effort to reach Europe.

And it is trying to exceed simply refusing entry to incoming migrants. Conversely, it is designing original solutions, with a promise to promote human mobility that are protected, organized and regular and "reciprocally advantageous".

Economic Partnerships

While traveling to the West African nation the previous year, the Spanish leader highlighted the contribution that immigrants make to the national finances.

Madrid's administration finances educational programs for youth without work in states like the Senegalese Republic, notably for undocumented individuals who have been sent back, to assist them in creating sustainable income sources in their homeland.

Additionally, it enlarged a "circular migration" scheme that gives West Africans limited-duration authorizations to enter Spanish territory for limited periods of temporary employment, primarily in farming, and then go back.

Policy Significance

The basic concept supporting the Spanish approach is that the Iberian nation, as the European country most proximate to the region, has an essential self interest in Africa's progress toward inclusive and sustainable development, and stability and safety.

This fundamental reasoning might seem apparent.

Nevertheless history had taken the Spanish nation down a distinctly separate route.

Besides a limited Mediterranean outposts and a compact tropical possession – presently autonomous the Central African nation – its territorial acquisition in the 1500s and 1600s had primarily been focused overseas.

Prospective Direction

The heritage aspect incorporates not only promotion of the Spanish language, with an enhanced representation of the Cervantes Institute, but also schemes to assist the transfer of scholarly educators and scholars.

Defense collaboration, initiatives concerning global warming, women's empowerment and an expanded diplomatic presence are unsurprising components in contemporary circumstances.

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

This represents welcome public encouragement for the entity, which is presently facing significant challenges after witnessing its half-century celebration tainted by the walk-out of the desert region countries – the West African nation, Mali and Niger – whose ruling military juntas have chosen not to follow with its agreement regarding democratic governance and effective leadership.

Concurrently, in a statement aimed similarly at the national citizenry as its sub-Saharan partners, the foreign ministry declared "helping persons of African origin and the fight against racism and immigrant hostility are also essential focuses".

Eloquent statements of course are only a beginning stage. But in the current negative global atmosphere such terminology really does appear distinctive.