<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, chaired the first plenary session of the Higher Council for Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity on Monday. This session officially establishes the last of the three coordination and consultation bodies provided for in the 2023 Cooperation Law, along with the new Interministerial Commission and the Sectoral Conference for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity.</strong></h4> According to the Ministry in a press release, the Council will, for the first time, include representation from autonomous communities, with two members who will rotate annually, and from local entities, through the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), as well as the Confederation of Cooperation and Solidarity Funds (CONFOCOS). In addition, representatives from organizations working for peace and the Spanish Youth Council will be included for the first time. With this meeting, the last of the three coordination and consultation bodies provided for in Law 1/2023 on cooperation is officially established, along with the new Interministerial Commission and the Sectoral Conference for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity. This would complete the regulatory rollout provided for in the Law, following the approval throughout 2024 and 2025 of the Royal Decrees on the new Statute of Cooperating Persons and the AECID, as well as the new regulations on international cooperation grants, the Spanish Development Fund (FEDES), and the Interministerial Commission. At the meeting, the State Secretary for International Cooperation, Eva Granados, also presented the main lines of action of the recently created Office for the Evaluation of Spanish Cooperation (OECE), whose objective is to promote the continuous improvement of the cooperation system, contribute to the generation of knowledge, and strengthen accountability. The OEEC will strengthen Spain's role in defending multilateralism and build truthful narratives that confront misinformation. Following the establishment of the new Higher Council for Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity and the launch of the Office for the Evaluation of Spanish Cooperation, "the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation consolidates a foreign policy committed to solidarity and multilateralism and to a renewed and strengthened Spanish Cooperation, committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement," the press release added. During his speech, Albares highlighted the "new era that is opening for development cooperation in our country" and emphasized "Spain's firm commitment to human rights, peace, and international law." At the same time, he thanked all the individuals and entities involved in the renewal process and welcomed the new actors joining the Council.
