The Diplomat
The Exporters and Investors Club yesterday called for the participation of Spanish companies in Development Cooperation projects financed by Spain in other countries to be boosted.
In a statement issued two days before the plenary session of the Congress of Deputies debates the new Law on Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity, the exporters stress that it is striking that, contrary to what happens in other countries around us, there is little or no presence of Spanish companies in the implementation of projects financed by the cooperation carried out by Spain.
The complaint reflects the results of a technical report prepared by the Club’s Reflection Committee on Internationalisation, after studying the development aid credits deployed by the Spanish State, channelled through FONPRODE, which amount to more than 500 million euros in 65 countries, mainly in Africa and Latin America.
The report, authored by Antonio Bonet, President of the Club, and Patricia Sanz, Executive Director of Exportun and coordinator of the Cooperation and Social Projects working group, emphasises the practice of other neighbouring countries, which tend to take advantage of these initiatives to strengthen their image among the territories and populations benefiting from the funding.
Among other measures, the Exporters’ Club proposes that credits for development aid projects can be used to strengthen Spain’s image abroad, and not just as a source of financial resources for other donors.
Furthermore, it considers that financial aid in the form of loans should support, within the beneficiary countries, those sectors in which Spanish companies have recognised world prestige.
The Exporters’ Club also believes that it is necessary to re-establish funds for non-reimbursable technical assistance and considers it essential to make the financing processes more operationally flexible.
