On March 24 at the headquarters of relations between Africa and Spain, Casa Africa, a three-year strategic plan coordinated by the Government of the Canary Islands with public and private institutions towards Africa was presented. “Because of its geographical location, between three continents, its membership in the European Union and its proximity and history with Africa, the Canary Islands are emerging as a center of relations between Africa, Europe and Latin America,” said the president during his speech.

“This joint strategy seeks to generate a space for peace, prosperity, development and mutual respect,” Clavijo explained to an audience composed of institutions and businessmen who have been working with the neighboring continent for years.

Keys to the Strategy

Clavijo commented that some of the reasons on which this strategy is based are:

– Proximity: The Canary Islands are strategically close. Only 97 kilometers separate the islands from the mainland at the closest point.

– Demographics: Africa is experiencing a demographic explosion with a population that will increase fourfold in the coming years. The President emphasized that 42% of all young people in the world are in Africa. With an average age of 19 years on the continent, and as opposed to the average age of 42 years in the OECD environment, Africa will have 2.5 billion people in 2050, 25% of the world’s population.

– Trade: The Canary Islands already has a positive trade balance with Africa with annual exports of more than 300 million euros. It is also the main exporter in Spain to countries such as Mauritania and Senegal.

Luis Padilla, director of the Economic Directorate for Affairs with Africa of the Government of the Canary Islands, recalled the history that the Canary Islands has with Africa. “In the year 97, he said, this Directorate was created while in Spain, at the state level, it was created in 2017. The Canary Islands is the base of the World Food Program for Africa and is also the headquarters of Casa Africa since its founding in 2006.”

“The continent of the future is the African continent,” said the President, repeating on numerous occasions the fundamental concept of reprocity that he wants to defend with this strategy by creating a “sustainable area of prosperity”.

International Cooperation

Ana Suárez, co-president of the Spain-Mauritania Bilateral Committee, explained that “the promotion of relations between the Canary Islands and Africa has three requirements: to offer security to companies that want to internationalize, to accompany them institutionally and to reinforce connectivity with the continent”. At present, some 220 Canary Islands companies operate in Africa. Some of the strategic sectors are renewable energies, water treatment, the maritime-marine sector, health, tourism, or professional and university training.

For his part, Luis Serra, rector of the University of Las Palmas, stressed that “Africa is in the DNA of Canary Islands society”. He stressed the need for a collaborative “holistic” approach that enhances academic and scientific cooperation. “We have common problems,” he said, suggesting that these relations should be bidirectional.

 

The strategy is based on four key pillars:

Strengthening of cooperation: Through an External Action Plan that includes the creation of joint commissions.

2. Improvement of infrastructure: Optimization of maritime and air connections.

3. Cooperation on migration: With the support of the central government and the European Union.

4. Boosting trade and investment: Especially through the creation of joint opportunities.

These four pillars are based on two principles:

– linking our peoples

– the importance of the scientific, educational and technological field, which benefits from the accumulated experience of Canary Islands companies and institutions in joint projects with African countries through the European Union’s INTERREG MAC programs, with funding of 200 million euros.

CHALLENGES

Luis Padilla explained that given the limited size of the Islands’ economy, the priority is to focus on closer countries such as Morocco and West Africa with proactive policies such as Tierra Firme, a vocational training and employability program that is already operating in Mauritania and Senegal and bears his stamp.

“The big challenge for African nations is the formalization of the economy. Eighty-five percent of the African economy is informal. For the development of the welfare state, the formalization of the economy and the inclusion of young people in employment is fundamental,” said the director of the Senegal Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates the Terra Firme project in Senegal.

Padilla recalled other types of “challenges that exist in Africa, such as the Sahel crisis, the migration challenge and the climate challenge. At the same time, he said, while Africa is moving towards a single market, other countries such as Russia, Brazil, or Turkey are increasingly active in their relations with the African continent.

A Common Future

“Our goal is to foster synergies between actors and initiatives, strengthening territorial and neighborhood cooperation to create long-term opportunities with a continent that concentrates 30% of the world’s minerals, said Padilla.” It is essential to improve connectivity not only in maritime and air terms, but also in terms of visa processes, and to diversify our economy with the internationalization of our companies, given that we are already a benchmark in the Mid-Atlantic.

“It is essential to promote knowledge sharing, as well as cooperation and investment in research, development and innovation (R&D&I),” said Luis Padilla, director of Economic Affairs with Africa.

“It is a strategy of understanding,” said President Clavijo. , said President Clavijo. “We must get to know each other better and cultivate a constructive dialogue”.

“Part of our future is there,” Padilla concluded.