The Council of Ministers has approved the Spanish Cooperation Master Plan for the years 2024-2027, a document of over 80 pages accessed by EL MUNDO. As seen, the Master Plan contains the objectives and priorities that will guide the action of international cooperation for sustainable development in the coming years and for the first time establishes a list of priority countries to engage in cooperation policies.
This list of countries aims to define specific strategies to establish a framework considering human development indicators, multidimensional and intersectional inequalities and vulnerabilities, as well as those related to the environmental dimension, the climate emergency, and the peace goals, security, and good governance agreed upon by the United Nations.
Aware of the threat that instability in Sub-Saharan Africa poses to Spain, this new cooperation framework focuses its efforts on helping democratic stability and providing opportunities to citizens in the Southern Neighborhood. Thus, while there are still efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Plan highlights seven Sub-Saharan African countries to work with. Cape Verde, Senegal, Niger, Mali, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, and Mozambique are consolidated as priority countries. The European Union withdrew from the training mission in Mali on May 18 when Spanish soldiers were withdrawn. At that time, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, warned of the mistake of leaving the area and announced that another way of cooperating would be sought.
Foreign Ministry sources informed this newspaper at that time that they wanted to explore a path through the ministry led by José Manuel Albares, more inclined to establish relationships through diplomacy rather than the military sphere. The choice of Mali and Niger, from where German and American troops will withdraw on September 15, responds to that strategy of bilateral relations, beyond the actions carried out by the European Union.
In addition to the Sahel countries, Foreign Affairs identifies Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and the refugee Sahrawi population as priority countries. Regarding Latin America and the Caribbean, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela are set as priorities.
This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers also approved the new status of aid workers, replacing the 2006 status and foreseeing the expansion of the scope of application, the improvement of the rights of aid workers and their families, and the reinforcement of the duties of both aid workers and promoting entities.