Africa Spain Summit 2025: a commitment to strategic and human cooperation
From 6 to 8 July, Madrid will be the epicentre of Euro-African political and economic dialogue with the Africa Spain Summit 2025, in the midst of a world marked by uncertainty, migratory flows, geopolitical tensions and climate urgency.
The event, promoted by the Spanish Government with the support of the European Union and organised by One Africa Forums, will bring together government and institutional leaders and representatives of multilateral organisations from both continents with the aim of developing and promoting strategic links based on common interests.
The event is part of the new roadmap ‘Espagne-Afrique 2025-2028’, a strategy that sets out five areas for action: strengthening, growing, connecting, protecting and living together. This shift seeks to respond not only to shared challenges, but also to opportunities that are yet to come.
Among the main participants are: José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Government of Spain; Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); Elmi Mohamud Nor Ali, Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing of Somalia; Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, Vice-President of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); Mohamed Methqal, Ambassador and Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation; Suzi Carla Barbosa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau; Arthur Minsat, Head of the Africa, Europe and Middle East Unit at the OECD; Alicia Varela, Director General of International Trade and Investment of the Government of Spain; Mankeur Ndiaye, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal; and José Segura Clavell, Director General of Casa África.
Event programme
The Africa Spain Summit will kick off on Sunday 6 July with a welcome cocktail at the Wellington Hotel, starting at 6pm. On Monday 7, after an institutional welcome, the key points of the new joint Spain-Africa 2025-2028 project will be presented. The day will run from 9 a.m. to 9.30 p.m., with three breaks for lunch and dinner.
Throughout the day, there will be a series of thematic sessions, lasting approximately an hour and a half, which will address: the political and diplomatic dimension of the partnership, with the participation of representatives from Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Morocco and Sierra Leone; the role of African youth, employment, training and economic inclusion, with a special emphasis on the role of women; the official launch of AFRICO, a new Ibero-African network of chambers of commerce, promoted by Gran Canaria; physical and digital connectivity, logistical integration and the role of strategic ports such as Tanger Med; common challenges in security, migration and climate change, where actors such as Interpol and the IOM will present proposals; and finally, the construction of a shared future through culture, human rights and governance, in a session charged with human symbolism. The day will close with a gala dinner.
On Tuesday 8 July, there will be a change of venue. The final day, which will take place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1.30 p.m. with a speech by José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Government of Spain. It will begin by focusing on two fundamental issues: how to ensure that the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) and the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) can coexist fairly; and which emerging African countries have the greatest potential for investment and cooperation.