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The Spanish government is pursuing a distinctly different direction from several European countries when it comes to migration policies and relations toward the continent of Africa.

Whereas countries like the US, Britain, France and Federal Republic of Germany are reducing their development aid budgets, the Spanish government remains committed to expanding its involvement, even from a modest foundation.

Recent Developments

This week, the Spanish capital has been welcoming an AU-supported "international gathering on people of African descent". The African diaspora summit will examine reparative equity and the formation of a fresh assistance program.

This constitutes the newest evidence of how the Spanish administration is attempting to strengthen and diversify its engagement with the continent that lies just a short distance to the southern direction, beyond the Gibraltar passage.

Governmental Approach

In July International Relations Head José Manuel Albares launched a fresh consultative body of renowned scholarly, foreign service and arts representatives, over 50 percent of them African, to monitor the delivery of the comprehensive Madrid-Africa plan that his administration unveiled at the conclusion of the previous year.

Additional diplomatic missions below the Sahara desert, and cooperative ventures in commerce and education are scheduled.

Migration Management

The contrast between Madrid's strategy and that of other Western nations is not just in expenditure but in attitude and outlook – and especially noticeable than in handling immigration.

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

"For us, the migratory phenomenon is not only a question of moral principles, solidarity and dignity, but also one of logic," the administration head said.

Over 45,000 individuals made the perilous sea crossing from West African coastline to the island territory of the Canaries last year. Approximations of those who perished while trying the crossing range between 1,400 to a overwhelming 10,460.

Effective Measures

Spain's leadership must house recent entrants, process their claims and handle their incorporation into broader community, whether short-term or more long-lasting.

Nonetheless, in rhetoric noticeably distinct from the confrontational statements that comes from numerous EU governments, the Sanchez government frankly admits the difficult financial circumstances on the territory in West Africa that push people to endanger themselves in the effort to reach Europe.

Additionally, it strives to move beyond simply refusing entry to new arrivals. Rather, it is creating innovative options, with a pledge to promote human mobility that are protected, orderly and regular and "reciprocally advantageous".

Financial Collaboration

During his visit to Mauritania recently, the Spanish leader highlighted the input that immigrants make to the Iberian economic system.

Madrid's administration finances training schemes for jobless young people in nations including the Senegalese Republic, notably for irregular migrants who have been sent back, to support them in establishing viable new livelihoods back home.

Furthermore, it increased a "cyclical relocation" scheme that offers persons from the region short-term visas to enter Spanish territory for restricted durations of temporary employment, mainly in agriculture, and then go back.

Geopolitical Relevance

The basic concept guiding Madrid's outreach is that the Iberian nation, as the continental nation most proximate to the mainland, has an essential self interest in the continent's advancement toward inclusive and sustainable development, and tranquility and protection.

This fundamental reasoning might seem apparent.

Nevertheless the past had directed the Iberian state down a noticeably unique course.

Apart from a few Maghreb footholds and a compact tropical possession – presently autonomous Equatorial Guinea – its colonial expansion in the 1500s and 1600s had mainly been directed toward the Americas.

Forward Vision

The cultural dimension includes not only dissemination of the national tongue, with an enhanced representation of the Cervantes Institute, but also initiatives to help the transfer of educational instructors and researchers.

Protection partnership, initiatives concerning global warming, gender equality and an expanded diplomatic presence are unsurprising components in contemporary circumstances.

However, the approach also puts notable focus it allocates for backing democratic principles, the pan-African body and, in especial, the regional West African group the West African economic bloc.

This will be favorable governmental endorsement for the entity, which is currently under severe pressure after witnessing its half-century celebration marred by the walk-out of the desert region countries – Burkina Faso, the West African state and the Nigerien Republic – whose ruling military juntas have chosen not to follow with its agreement regarding democratic governance and effective leadership.

Concurrently, in a communication targeted as much at the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the external affairs department said "helping persons of African origin and the struggle versus discrimination and xenophobia are also crucial objectives".

Eloquent statements of course are only a initial phase. But in contemporary pessimistic worldwide environment such language really does appear distinctive.