For historical reasons (and probably justified) the sub-Saharan Africa had not been a priority in English foreign policy. Our special relationship with Latin America and the Mediterranean countries on the southern shore seemed focused external action and cooperation.
Without neglecting these regions at all, socialist governments have been unwilling to give priority attention to Africa.
A first important step was the creation of the House Africa, Africa result of the first Plan 2006-2008, which meant being able to enjoy a vital tool in the new English foreign policy towards the neighboring continent. A global and open space, whereby the civil societies of Spain and African countries to improve their mutual understanding. It is important in this respect, we do not have the exclusive design make things but to have enough humility to think that we can learn a lot, because it is.
Africa
The Second Plan, approved for the period 2009-2012, involves a commitment fulfilled and affects three major areas:
. Respect for human rights,
. The promotion of gender equality and
. Environmental sustainability.
These areas come together, obviously, the general objectives such as:
. support the process of consolidating democracy
. building peace and security in Africa,
. contribution to the fight against poverty or
. promoting trade relations between Spain and Africa and African economic development.
's good to have goals and have drawn ambitious prospects because it is the only way forward, but let us also be honest with ourselves about Africa today continues to speak first as a top priority for combating poverty and sustainable human development and, ultimately, the need to achieve the Millennium Development Goals established by the UN.
would like to highlight, in any case, some data that show this reversal of our country's foreign policy towards Africa in some specific axes:
The figures reflect Official Development Assistance progressive and sustained increase in resources for our neighbors, for example, from an annual average of 150 million from 2000 to 2004, passed in 2007 to 1,190,000,000 euros.
The exponential growth of bilateral reciprocal protection of investments, promoting trade missions and participation in meetings and forums, promoting initiatives and plans from the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, as the Africa Plan and Infrastructure Plan boost to business in sub-Saharan Africa.
Third, our institutional presence has increased substantially with six new embassies, including five in West Africa and one in Sudan. Similarly, representations have been created in the Gambia and Liberia, and a consulate general in Dakar. Simultaneously, it has promoted the creation of new offices of technical cooperation, trade and economic ministries attachés of ministries of Interior, Defense and Labor and Social Affairs, with the aim of strengthening the existing deployment.
Spain's commitment to peace and security in Africa has been particularly marked in the Horn of Africa, a region in which Spain is committed to the stabilization of Somalia. Included the participation of the English Armada in the operation to combat piracy Indian Ocean, which is known as Operation ATALANTA.
Undoubtedly, the neighborhood and especially the future global challenges have marked the government's determination to Spain to stop looking for the corner of my eye and facing the African continent.
interests and goals are unattainable if not more working together, seeking cooperation and coordination of all developed countries. It has been said in this chamber in various debates how it has changed the dimension of the problems. We all agree that the promotion and protection of common interests have become something that must be addressed comprehensively, because individual States every time we have less weight, get:
. Peace and security
. Respect for human rights
.
environmental quality.
equitable economic growth. Economic and financial stability
. International justice,
. Control of migratory flows
. The right to food and basic resources like water and energy for everyone on the planet
are issues that can not be addressed separately, even countries of the size of the U.S., but urges working together in unity share premium, in short, the multilateral work.
The English Presidencies and such as Belgium and Hungary, as part of the trio of presidencies have been conceived as an opportunity to strengthen mutual relations and to deepen the EU's challenges in Africa. For this reason, Spain has led the political dialogue EU-Africa under the Cotonou Agreement. The role of our country will be important for the preparation of the Third European Union-Africa Summit to be held in late 2010.
This is the immediate challenge ahead.
is necessary, in conclusion, to place Africa in parliamentary debates and therefore an important issue for the English, because it is in many ways of view. This initiative was, this goal.
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