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The Spanish government is pursuing a distinctly different direction from numerous developed states when it comes to immigration strategies and relations toward the African continent.

While nations including the USA, United Kingdom, French Republic and Federal Republic of Germany are slashing their international support allocations, Madrid continues dedicated to increasing its involvement, albeit from a modest foundation.

Recent Developments

This week, the Spanish capital has been welcoming an African Union-backed "world conference on people of African descent". The Madrid African conference will examine corrective fairness and the creation of a innovative support mechanism.

This constitutes the most recent sign of how Spain's socialist-led government is seeking to deepen and diversify its engagement with the region that sits merely a short distance to the southern direction, over the Mediterranean crossing.

Governmental Approach

In July International Relations Head Madrid's top envoy established a fresh consultative body of prominent intellectual, foreign service and arts representatives, more than half of them of African origin, to supervise the implementation of the detailed Spain-Africa strategy that his leadership unveiled at the close of the prior year.

New embassies in sub-Saharan regions, and collaborations in business and learning are planned.

Migration Management

The difference between Spain's approach and that of different European countries is not just in spending but in attitude and outlook – and particularly evident than in handling immigration.

Similar to elsewhere in Europe, Prime Minister Madrid's chief executive is looking for ways to contain the influx of undocumented migrants.

"From our perspective, the immigration situation is not only a question of moral principles, unity and respect, but also one of reason," the administration head commented.

More than 45,000 people undertook the dangerous ocean journey from the Atlantic African shore to the Spanish archipelago of the Atlantic islands recently. Approximations of those who lost their lives while undertaking the journey vary from 1,400 to a overwhelming 10,460.

Workable Approaches

Madrid's government must house recent entrants, process their claims and oversee their integration into broader community, whether transient or more permanent.

Nevertheless, in terminology distinctly separate from the confrontational statements that emanates from several Western administrations, the Spanish administration frankly admits the hard economic realities on the ground in Western Africa that push people to endanger themselves in the effort to reach the European continent.

Additionally, it strives to transcend simply refusing entry to incoming migrants. Rather, it is designing original solutions, with a promise to foster movements of people that are protected, systematic and regular and "mutually beneficial".

Economic Partnerships

On his trip to the West African nation last year, Sanchez stressed the input that immigrants contribute to the Iberian economic system.

Madrid's administration supports educational programs for youth without work in states like the Senegalese Republic, especially for irregular migrants who have been returned, to support them in establishing viable new livelihoods back home.

Additionally, it enlarged a "rotational movement" programme that provides individuals from West Africa limited-duration authorizations to arrive in the Iberian nation for defined timeframes of seasonal work, mainly in agriculture, and then return.

Strategic Importance

The basic concept underlying Madrid's outreach is that the Iberian nation, as the EU member state closest 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 apparent.

However history had taken Spain down a noticeably unique course.

Apart from a few Maghreb footholds and a small tropical outpost – currently sovereign the Gulf of Guinea country – its colonial expansion in the 16th and 17th Centuries had mainly been directed overseas.

Forward Vision

The heritage aspect includes not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an enhanced representation of the Spanish cultural organization, but also programmes to support the movement of educational instructors and investigators.

Security co-operation, action on climate change, gender equality and an expanded diplomatic presence are predictable aspects in the current climate.

Nonetheless, the plan also lays very public stress it assigns to supporting democratic ideas, the African Union and, in particular, the regional West African group the Economic Community of West African States.

This will be favorable governmental endorsement for the entity, which is currently under severe pressure after witnessing its half-century celebration marred by the withdrawal of the Sahel nations – the West African nation, the West African state and the Sahel territory – whose governing armed forces have refused to comply with its agreement regarding democratic governance and proper administration.

Meanwhile, in a communication aimed similarly at Spain's internal population as its continental allies, the foreign ministry declared "assisting the African community abroad and the fight against racism and anti-foreigner sentiment are also crucial objectives".

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