🔗 Share this article Madrid's Radically Different Method to African Migration The Spanish government is pursuing a noticeably unique direction from numerous developed states when it comes to migration policies and relations toward the continent of Africa. While states such as the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany are reducing their development aid budgets, the Spanish government continues dedicated to enhancing its involvement, even from a reduced baseline. Current Programs Currently, the Madrid has been welcoming an African Union-backed "world conference on people of African descent". The Madrid African conference will discuss corrective fairness and the creation of a innovative support mechanism. This constitutes the newest evidence of how Madrid's leadership is working to enhance and diversify its engagement with the continent that sits merely a short distance to the south, across the Straits of Gibraltar. Policy Structure During summer Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares initiated a new advisory council of distinguished academic, international relations and arts representatives, the majority of them of African origin, to monitor the delivery of the detailed Madrid-Africa plan that his leadership published at the conclusion of the previous year. New embassies south of the Sahara, and cooperative ventures in business and learning are planned. Movement Regulation The contrast between Madrid's strategy and that of other Western nations is not just in funding but in perspective and philosophy – and particularly evident than in dealing with population movement. Similar to elsewhere in Europe, Administration Head Madrid's chief executive is looking for ways to manage the arrival of unauthorized entrants. "From our perspective, the immigration situation is not only a question of moral principles, solidarity and dignity, but also one of rationality," the government leader said. Over 45,000 individuals undertook the dangerous ocean journey from the Atlantic African shore to the island territory of the Canary Islands recently. Approximations of those who perished while making the attempt range between 1,400 to a staggering 10,460. Effective Measures Madrid's government needs to shelter recent entrants, process their claims and manage their absorption into wider society, whether temporary or more permanent. Nonetheless, in terminology markedly different from the confrontational statements that emanates from many European capitals, the Madrid leadership openly acknowledges the challenging monetary conditions on the ground in Western Africa that force persons to endanger themselves in the effort to reach the European continent. Furthermore, it attempts to transcend simply denying access to new arrivals. Conversely, it is creating innovative options, with a promise to promote movements of people that are safe, organized and routine and "mutually beneficial". Economic Partnerships On his trip to Mauritania last year, the Spanish leader emphasized the contribution that immigrants contribute to the national finances. Spain's leadership finances skill development initiatives for unemployed youth in states like the West African country, especially for undocumented individuals who have been sent back, to help them develop viable new livelihoods in their homeland. And it has expanded a "rotational movement" initiative that provides individuals from West Africa short-term visas to arrive in the Iberian nation for limited periods of temporary employment, mostly in cultivation, and then go back. Strategic Importance The basic concept guiding Madrid's outreach is that the Iberian nation, as the continental nation closest to the region, has an essential self interest in the continent's advancement toward equitable and enduring progress, and tranquility and protection. This fundamental reasoning might seem apparent. Yet of course previous eras had guided Spain down a quite different path. Other than a several North African presences and a compact tropical possession – presently autonomous the Gulf of Guinea country – its colonial expansion in the historical period had mostly been oriented across the Atlantic. Forward Vision The cultural dimension incorporates not only advancement of Castilian, with an expanded presence of the language promotion body, but also schemes to support the movement of academic teachers and investigators. Defense collaboration, measures regarding environmental shifts, female advancement and an expanded diplomatic presence are predictable aspects in the current climate. Nonetheless, the plan also puts notable focus it allocates for assisting democratic values, the continental organization and, in particular, the regional West African group the West African economic bloc. This represents favorable governmental endorsement for the entity, which is currently under severe pressure after witnessing its half-century celebration marred by the departure of the desert region countries – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – whose controlling military regimes have refused to comply with its protocol on democracy and good governance. Meanwhile, in a message aimed similarly at the national citizenry as its African collaborators, the foreign ministry said "helping persons of African origin and the struggle versus discrimination and immigrant hostility are also essential focuses". Fine words of course are only a initial phase. But in contemporary pessimistic worldwide environment such terminology really does distinguish itself.