The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, announced today a new era in relations with the African continent, in which Spain will allocate 70 million euros to cooperation projects. By taking this decision, Spain seeks to contribute to the stability and prosperity of this continent in the consideration that the role of Africa in resolving global challenges is now a reality that should be acknowledged by the international community.
Addressing the Executive Council of the African Union in Spanish, for the first time ever, following 15 years in which no Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain has spoken to all African countries, José Manuel Albares conveyed Spain’s interest in working and joining forces in the multiple interests and values we share.
The minister also reiterated Spain’s commitment to cooperation on the continent, which translates into financial commitments totalling 70 million euros for pan-African organisations in the application of the African Union’s 2063 Agenda. These commitments particularly focus on food security.
In this regard, José Manuel Albares recalled that Spain promoted, together with the African Union, a global summit at which commitments for a value of 236 million euros were announced. And, more recently, an action plan, together with the World Food Programme, which also benefits African countries.
Spanish Presidency of the EU
The minister also announced that the Spanish Presidency of the EU will promote a high-level Euro-African meeting on transforming investments “that underscores the value chains in Africa and job creation for young people”, commented the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to commit to orderly mobility to the benefit of both Spanish and European students, scientists and professionals.
José Manuel Albares, the second Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs to give a speech to the Executive Council of the African Union since 2008, is the first to do so in Spanish, with a view to highlighting the vitality of relations with Africa, which transcend economic relations to fully encompass cultural relations as well. With more than 2 million Africans studying the Spanish language, the importance of our language on the continent and the contributions from Hispanists to our language will be underlined at the International Congress of the Spanish Language to be held in Cadiz next month.
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