<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, presented this Monday at the headquarters of his Ministry the new Interministerial Commission for Africa (CIMA), an initiative planned by the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028 presented on December 5 by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.</strong></h4> According to a press release from the Foreign Ministry, the CIMA will meet every six months at the level of ministers, and every three months at the level of secretaries of state or general directors of the Ministries that are developing actions on the African continent and express their interest. The event was attended by the Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz; The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Parliament, Félix Bolaños; the Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo; the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente; the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy; the Minister of Health, Mónica García; and the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, as well as other representatives of the various ministries involved. The creation of this Commission is part of the implementation of the new Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028, the document that will guide Spanish foreign policy towards the continent for the next four years. The Strategy provides, among other measures, for an increase in diplomatic deployment in the region and the reinforcement of the working mechanisms on Africa within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the launch of a Sub-Directorate General for Western Africa and the Sahel within the Directorate General for Africa (created on 28 November by the Council of Ministers), an Advisory Council on Africa and the aforementioned Inter-Ministerial Commission for Africa. However, the main novelty of the Strategy is that, unlike previous Africa Plans, it has “a continental dimension”, without categories of countries or priority partners, although with special attention to the immediate neighbourhood. As regards the European Union, the Strategy foresees that Spain will assume a greater role in the orientation and execution of EU policy towards Africa and in favour of a greater use of the instruments of European policy in support of development and strategic objectives on the continent, agreed with African partners.
