The Diplomat in Spain

Pedro Sánchez speaks, yesterday, at the Congress./ Photo: Pool Moncloa/ Fernando Calvo

The Diplomat. 18/07/2018

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, expressed yesterday his «firm commitment» to provide Spain with a «much more active» international presence, as well as the desire to present and defend its own proposals in international forums.

«Spain can and should play a more active role» in the international sphere, said Sanchez in his appearance in the plenary session of the Congress to present his government program. In particular, he mentioned the defense of Human Rights, multilateralism and the commitment to greater integration of the European Union. All of them are issues that Spain must face with «responsibility, solidarity and empathy,» he stressed.

Among the challenges facing the EU, the Chief Executive mentioned Brexit, migratory flows and financial perspectives. He also announced that in the coming months he will participate in the UN General Assembly, the Ibero-American summit in Guatemala, the G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires and in «all future NATO debates» to achieve «that war, instability and violations of human rights recede in the world».

This attitude of openness and leadership on the international scene will also be noticed in defense matters, according to Sánchez, who is willing to give a «decisive impulse» to the European Defense Policy, contribute to the fight against terrorism and promote the «Diplomacy of the Defense». «Spain is a reliable partner in the world, (…) will maintain its international commitments and will honor its vocation promoting the culture of national security», he said.

Finally, the President of the Government expressed his commitment to the development and fulfillment of UN’s 2030 Agenda for sustainable development since, in his opinion, it is «a great opportunity to reverse the course of the planet» in sustainability, justice and development. «We will promote the 2030 Agenda to put citizens at the center of the UN action, with their rights and freedoms, in fundamental aspects such as economic and social», he said.

He also highlighted his «firm intention» to continue maintaining contacts with the main partners of Spain, especially the countries of Latin America, Africa and the specific case of Morocco, a «neighbor and friend that will occupy a prominent place in these bilateral contacts».