Africa-Press – Botswana. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is visiting Kenya and South Africa this week, in search of “strategic alliances” on the African continent for his country and the European Union, whose rotating presidency will be his responsibility next year. year.
It will be the first official visit by a Spanish Head of Government to Kenya and South Africa. Sánchez was on the African continent last year, specifically in Senegal and Angola.
Sánchez defends “a strategic alliance” with Africa, both from Spain and the European Union (EU), according to Spanish Government sources, who highlighted the visit of the Spanish Chief Executive to Angola as being positive, both in diplomatic and economic terms. .
For the Spanish Government, the “strategic alliance” with Africa goes beyond simple bilateral relations. “The recent debates in the European Council on European geostrategy and the need to diversify the “network of alliances”, in the face of from China, lead Spain and the European Union to establish strategic partnerships”, a member of the Spanish Government told Lusa.
“Spain will preside over the European Union in the second half of 2023 and the package of measures approved by Brussels at the last EU-African Union Summit this year aims to boost development in Africa”, considered the same source.
Within the scope of the EU presidency, it is “essential” to intensify contacts with African leaders, to “promote global solutions to global problems”, says the same source, who referred to issues related to climate change, supply chains, control of illegal immigration networks or the fight against terrorism, as in the Sahel region or in the North of Mozambique, in Cabo Delgado.
Accompanying the “development processes” of Africa is in the Spanish and European national interest, reinforces the sources of the Spanish Executive.
In this context, Spain considers Kenya and South Africa to be two “priority” countries in diplomatic relations, both being leaders and poles of regional integration.
South Africa has the best development indicators on the continent, despite the great social inequality, and Kenya is an example of stability in East Africa, in addition to being the two countries with consolidated democracies even with some imperfections.
“In the case of Kenya, the Spanish Executive highlights that it has played an important role in international diplomatic forums, with the reiterated condemnation of Russia for the attack on Ukraine and the clear support for the sanctions on Moscow approved within the United Nations Assembly and the Council Security Council, where Nairobi has a seat.
Sánchez will meet the presidents of both countries on this trip, Kenyan William Ruto (who took office a month ago) and South African Cyril Ramaphosa.
Pedro Sánchez will be the first foreign Head of Government that William Ruto will receive.
The Spanish Prime Minister travels at the head of a delegation of businessmen, and in both countries there is investment coming from Spain, with emphasis on the areas of Energy, Water Management and infrastructure in general.
Last year, the Spanish Government presented the “Focus Africa 2023” plan, with which it tries to mark a turning point in relations with the African continent and diversify diplomatic influence outside Europe, traditionally focused on Latin America and North Africa.
The objective is to reach a new strategic partnership in which Madrid can lead the action of the European Union with some African countries.
The “Focus Africa 2023” considers Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa as “anchor countries”; and as “priority countries” Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Angola.
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