<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, chaired the meeting of the Africa Roundtable this Friday. This roundtable is responsible for developing the Ministry's Africa Strategy and includes representatives from the General State Administration and Spanish civil society.</strong></h4> "Relations with African countries are a priority for Spain's foreign policy," the minister wrote on social media. "This morning I chaired the meeting of the Africa Roundtable to discuss common challenges and opportunities. We continue to make progress in the implementation of the Africa Strategy," he added. The meeting took place at the Ministry's headquarters (Marqués de Salamanca). The Africa Roundtable, the main mechanism of the Third Africa Plan for dialogue with Spanish civil society and for promoting Spanish foreign action with African countries, is a platform for information exchange and coordination between the Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Spanish civil society stakeholders interested in relations with Africa. Representatives from NGOs, the business sector, academia, African diaspora associations, and Afro-Spaniards participate in the roundtable. The "Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028. Working together through a strategic relationship," presented in early December 2024 by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the La Moncloa Complex, differs from previous Africa Plans in that it has a continental dimension, without country categories or priority partners, although it pays special attention to the immediate vicinity. The plan has five main strategic objectives: to strengthen a Spanish-African relationship that consolidates and deepens mutual understanding and dialogue and facilitates joint action; to grow through inclusive and sustainable African development fostered by the involvement of Spanish, European, and international institutions, companies, and organizations, but above all, the involvement of young people; Connecting, with closer ties between the societies and economies of Africa, Spain, and the world; protecting, through cooperation to strengthen capacities in justice and security; and living side by side, with open African societies and strong, inclusive institutions. It also contemplates an increase in diplomatic deployment in the region, reinforcing the network of embassies and consulates and boosting the activities of Casa África, Casa Árabe, and Casa del Mediterráneo. It also includes 100 measures, including the creation of new collaboration instruments, such as the Advisory Council, and the reinforcement of existing ones. The launch meeting of the Spain-Africa Advisory Council took place last July, under the presidency of President Albares.
