News

On 9 and 10 May, the first meeting of the Afro-diaspora(s) and African civil society "Building bridges between Spain and Africa" took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The meeting, inaugurated by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío, was co-organised by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the International Organisation for Migration and Casa África, with the collaboration of the Women for Africa Foundation and the organisation Africa Activa.

In addition to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of State of Senegal, Amadou Chérif Diouf, the Secretary of State of Ghana, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Secretary of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela, and the Director General of Casa África, José Segura, took part in the inauguration.

This meeting, which was also attended by experts and representatives of African civil society from countries such as South Africa, Angola, Senegal, Nigeria and Mali, is part of the process of developing a new strategic framework for Africa, announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, last January.

During the inauguration, the Secretary of State recalled the desire to make the partnership between Spain and Africa a reality, based on shared objectives such as comprehensive security, sustainable and fair development, democratic and transparent governments, and safe and beneficial mobility for all.

The first day was devoted to analysing the contribution - economic, academic and cultural - of the African diaspora to development and the plurality of society, as well as the problems it faces. The second focused on foreign policy, gathering the views of both Afro-Spanish and African-Spanish associations and experts.

The programme was rounded off by the Afrodiáspora(s) Vis a Vis festival, which highlighted the rich contribution of the African diaspora and Afro-descendants to the Spanish music scene.