The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, visited the new offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Friday, accompanied by the agency's Administrator, Alexander De Croo. During his visit, the Minister greeted staff at the offices and stressed that humanity can only continue to advance if progress benefits both people and the planet, adding that “such progress for humanity is only possible through strategic partnerships".
The visit also highlighted the strategic value of relocating around 100 UNDP posts to Madrid, with a “Dialogue on the Future of Sustainable Development" held at the Ministry's headquarters. During his remarks at the Dialogue, Albares recalled the need to defend a strong and effective United Nations capable of responding to the challenges of the 21st century.
The visit included the signing of a new Spain–UNDP Strategic Partnership Framework for the period 2026–2029, the fourth such framework signed between Spain and the agency. Spain thus reaffirms UNDP's role as a strategic and long-standing partner of Spanish Cooperation.
Spain's commitment to UNDP
Spain has strengthened its commitment to predictable and flexible multilateral funding that enables the agency to preserve its operational capacity, universal presence and ability to fulfil its mandate.
Specifically, AECID's contributions to UNDP in 2026 include two new areas of multiannual cooperation: Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs), complementing the existing multiannual support for electoral assistance, and multiannual support for the Nexus Academy initiative and activities related to implementing the humanitarian-development-peace triple nexus. AECID's contribution to UNDP for 2026 is expected to amount to €9,330,000, reflecting continuity with the previous year, supported by the adoption of the aforementioned multiannual commitments.