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- The US-Spain Working Group on the Sahel region held its inaugural meeting.
- The two nations will work together to promote democracy.
- Through its Africa Focus for 2023, Spain is seeking a more robust role in Africa.
Spain has a starring role in trying to bring stability and economic growth to Africa's Sahel region after the lapse of the Sahel Alliance's 2022 targets.
The initial Sahel Alliance, formed in 2018, had France, Germany, the European Union, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, who were joined by Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The development initiatives - aimed at youth employment, rural development and food security, energy and climate, governance, decentralisation, access to basic services and security - were expected to benefit the G5 of the Sahel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger by 2022.
However, violent extremism, coups and the expanding influence of geopolitical adversary Russia, through the paramilitary Wagner Group, blighted the Sahel region a year after the target expired.
Spain's Focus in Africa for 2023/24 is premised on "peace and security; sustainable development; inclusive and resilient economic growth; institutional strengthening".
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From this year forward, Spain has teamed up with the United States.
The two countries held an inaugural meeting in Washington DC on Monday with regard to the security situation in the Sahel region.
The two-nation alliance is called the "US-Spain Working Group on the Sahel".
The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, and Spain's Ambassador at Large for the Sahel, Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar, led the talks.
Representatives of the US Agency for International Development, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Department of State and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Embassy of Spain, participated.
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In a joint statement, the two envoys said they were "united in their commitment to fostering democracy, sustainable development, and stability in the Sahel region".
Their strategy in the Sahel region would be to work with civil society and also to focus on combating violent extremism.
"They agreed to enhance collaboration in support of democratic institutions, in addressing humanitarian and development needs, particularly in conflict-affected areas, and in increasing local capacity to combat terrorism."
The idea of a working group between the two countries was first mooted during President Joe Biden's meeting with Spain's President Pedro Sánchez in May.
The Working Group will "meet regularly to further the strong partnership between Spain and the United States on our policy in the Sahel and evaluate their effectiveness in alignment with the aspirations of the people of the Sahel".
The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
