The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, inaugurated yesterday in Madrid the High Level Ministerial Meeting on Transformative Investments in Africa, in which he highlighted “the renewed momentum” of Spain’s foreign policy with Africa, based on the principle of “association and cooperation”.
Organized by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU and by the African Union, the High Level Meeting brings together several Foreign Ministers from the African continent and will be held over two days at the Ministry’s headquarters in the Marquis of Salamanca in Madrid.
In his speech, Minister Albares highlighted “the ties of well-being, prosperity and security that unite Spain and Africa” and stated that the meeting “will address a successful investment strategy for both the African continent and Spain.” Additionally, he assured that Spain is committed to increasing Development Aid, with the objective of reaching 0.7 percent of GDP in 2030. Albares was accompanied by the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs Ángeles Moreno Bau, one day before the possible appointment of her successor in office, Diego Martínez Belío, to be assigned as ambassador of Spain to the United States.
On the other hand, this past Saturday the second edition of the Africa Visitor Program concluded at the CEOE headquarters, organized with the collaboration of the Carolina Foundation and in which six young entrepreneurs from Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal participated. and South Africa, invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit Spain in order to hold meetings with Spanish businessmen and authorities linked to the economic and commercial fields.
The six young people met with executives from companies from different sectors, such as Iberdrola, BBVA, Real Madrid, INDITEX, ACS and Telefónica, among others. They also did so with senior officials from the CEOE, the Official Credit Institute and the ICEX, as well as with the general director of International Trade and Investments.
The objective of this initiative is to foster contacts that can foster beneficial partnerships for both parties and help disseminate in the Spanish business community a more accurate and complete image of Africa, with special attention to the opportunities that the continent offers to potential investors.
