Casa África approves its strategic lines 2014-2016

Casa África's Delegate Committee (the body which brings together two representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, two from the Canary Islands Government, one from the Town Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Casa África's Director General and Secretary General) approved today in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria the strategic lines on which the Casa África's Strategic Plan 2014-2016 will be based, a document that will outline the institution's main objectives and areas of activity over the next three years. The boost to Hispanic-African relations in the economic but also social and cultural field, the consolidation of the Casa as a forum and public-private meeting point and the promotion of the Canary Islands as a platform to Africa are the three strategic areas in which this Plan will be based, which is already in the drafting process.

The document approved today responds to the mandate issued by the institution's Governing Council to Casa África's new Director General, Luis Padrón, appointed on 16th January, to define both the strategic lines of action over the next three years as well as the programming throughout  2014.

In this regard, the Plan will consider as priority that Casa África works in boosting Spanish-African relations of an economic, institutional, cultural and development nature. This objective involves the promotion of Brand Spain on the African continent, support for the internationalization of Spanish companies in Africa (especially in sub-Saharan Africa) and its presence in international tenders, the development of relations with international and bilateral organisations whose aim are promoting African development and the promotion of legal certainty for Spanish companies, both in investment and trade relations.

The Plan seeks to consolidate Casa África as a meeting point between public and private institutions in Spain and Africa, to provide a forum for African diplomatic embassies to disseminate the realities of their countries, of an open space to debate and think about Africa and Hispanic-African relations and also continue its work to present and disseminate studies and reports on African reality.

The promotion of the Canary Islands as a meeting point between Spain and Africa is also one of the principal axes of Casa África's work in the coming years. The archipelago has already positioned itself as an international business platform for Africa, and the institution will defend its opportunities both on the African continent as well as in public or private forums, where it has presence. The implementation of new air links between the Canary Islands and Africa, increased use of the Archipelago as a centre of maritime, logistics and telecommunications transfer and installation of new hubs for humanitarian aid to Africa will also defended by the consortium.

The Strategic Plan, among other things, will advocate prioritising the institution's actions in countries where Spanish companies have competitive advantages and where the economic context is more favourable, both in terms of economic growth and development potential as well as in terms of connectivity, security, legal security and governance. It will work to increase collaboration, coordination and public-private funding, creating joint platforms.

In their presentation to the executive committee, both the organisation's Director General, Luis Padrón, as well as its General Secretary, Arianne Hernández, presented the great opportunities that an institution like Casa África offers in undertaking economic and public diplomacy actions, which are always based on dialogue, loyalty and trust with African countries.

Padrón and Hernández said that acting outside the normal channels of government to government, the institution provides a significant added value through their actions in the work of other actors. Casa África, they stressed, has an institutional role recognised in Africa and with a vast network of institutional and professional contacts that can be of great benefit to both the member institutions as well as the group of Spanish companies.

The institution, they concluded, has its strength in the breadth of its action, by encouraging dialogue, promoting Spain and the Canary Islands and acting as facilitator between Spaniards and Africans. This combination of economic arguments with the soft power actions which are characteristic of public diplomacy make Casa África an institution with great potential to make real progress in bringing Spain closer to the African continent. The location of its headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is also a clear message of confidence and proximity to the African continent.