In Paris, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares reaffirmed Spain's strong commitment to the development, stability, and prosperity of the Sahel and West Africa. During his participation in the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club meeting, Albares presented the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028, a key roadmap for cooperation with the region in the coming years.
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The Spanish Government has once again demonstrated its firm desire to strengthen ties and enhance collaboration with the Sahel and West Africa. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares, underlined this commitment during his speech at the meeting of the Sahel and West Africa Club of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), held in the French capital.
Albares took advantage of the forum to introduce the region's ambassadors to the OECD new Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028The minister highlighted the Club's work as a "unique platform that allows us to consider structural and long-term solutions, beyond the current urgency," and emphasized that its mission is aligned with the principles of the aforementioned Spanish strategy.
While acknowledging the "complexity of the context and the structural crisis" facing the Sahel, Albares also noted that the region has "significant resources and opportunities," such as its youthful population.
A Growing and Strategic Commitment
The Spanish Foreign Minister was emphatic in stating that Spain "not only maintains, but strengthens, its commitment to the Sahelian population and adapts to the circumstances to continue responding to their real needs." In this regard, Spain seeks to play an "active role in bringing together the main development actors in the region to promote coordinated, effective, and sustainable responses."
This approach has materialized with the designation of the Sahel, for the first time and with legal status, as a priority region for Spanish Cooperation. This prioritization is framed within the new Law on Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity, the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2024-2027 and the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028.
The figures support this commitment: Spain's Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the region has tripled, from €31 million in 2017 to €92 million in 2022. From 2010 to 2023, Spain's total development aid disbursement for the Sahel amounts to €994,4 million, focused entirely on agriculture, health, and gender equality.
Strengthening Alliances and Looking to the Future
Albares also expressed Spain's willingness to continue working closely with the Sahel and West Africa Club, to which the country has contributed €600.000 to date. "We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening this alliance, convinced that regional cooperation is essential to addressing the complex challenges of the Sahel and West Africa and moving toward a future of stability and shared prosperity," he stated.
Looking ahead, Spain will focus on specific thematic priorities such as urban development in Africa, promoting intraregional trade in food products, and integrating gender perspectives into transport corridors.
