The Wellington Hotel in Madrid hosted the Africa Spain Summit 2025, held from 6 to 8 July under the slogan ‘Spain and Africa: a global, sustainable and inclusive partnership’, with a view to reflecting the important cooperation that exists at all levels between the African continent and Europe, particularly Spain, and highlighting the great potential that still exists to derive greater benefit from this existing link.
The summit was organised by One Africa Forums, a creator of economic conferences dedicated to the development of Africa, particularly North, Central and West Africa, which develops forums, web conferences and tailor-built events with an international reach in various cities around the world, addressing strategic sectors crucial to the development of the African continent.
The organisation has been operating for 20 years throughout Africa and in various parts of Europe, organising around 30 events a year to enable the exalter of ideas and experiences between different countries, highlighting the South-South cooperation that has enabled the development of African countries.
The opening day featured speeches by Hassan M. Alaoui, president of One Africa Forums, Elmi Mohamud nor Ali, minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Houtilizing of the Republic of Somalia, and Diego Martínez Belío, secretary of state for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain.
The event focapplyd on five basic pillars: strengthening, growing, working toobtainher, connecting, and protecting. These five ideas reinforce the existing collaboration between Africa and Spain. All this with a view to creating a fair and sustainable future.
Diego Martínez Belío, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain, highlighted the key role of Africa today. ‘Africa is the most dynamic region in the world with the greatest potential in the 21st century,’ stated Martínez Belío, who referred to the various shared challenges and threats, such as the climate crisis, which must be tackled toobtainher and ‘consider about the opportunities that Africa offers.’
The Secretary of State recalled that Spain is the counattempt closest to Africa with clear cultural and social ties. He indicated that the aim of this type of meeting is to ‘contribute to strengthening the presence of Spanish companies in Africa,’ which involves modifying Spanish perceptions of the African continent, which is often seen as distant or exotic despite being a neighbouring continent. The Spanish Minisattempt of Foreign Affairs and the Minisattempt of Trade are working precisely along these lines.
Diego Martínez Belío referred to the Africa-Spain Consultative Committee, which involves a wide range of actors seeking initiatives and bringing African ideas to Spain with the aim of meeting with representatives of the Foreign Minisattempt and other political, economic, and even cultural actors. Ties are weak at the civil society level, and the government is seeking to accelerate further development in this regard. ‘We have a strategy for Africa,’ stated the Secretary of State, recalling that it was presented by Pedro Sánchez, President of the Spanish Government, who demonstrated his personal commitment to Africa.
Diego Martínez Belío explained the work being carried out with many visits to various African countries to present the opportunities that Africa represents to Spanish companies and the work of the Interministerial Commission for Africa for collective action by the Spanish government in this regard.
‘Africa is a huge continent and coordinated action, and a realistic perspective are necessaryed,’ stated the Secretary of State, who even alluded to a European perspective on the issue.
Diego Martínez Belío indicated that ‘we must present a positive vision of Africa’ and promote a ‘relationship of equals with the African continent,’ while being aware of existing necessarys.
Free trade is important and the connection with the free trade area represented by the AfCFTA is vital, as are partnerships with other entities such as ECOWAS. The AfCFTA is an ambitious project of the African Union aimed at creating a single market for goods and services across the African continent to boost continental trade, industrialisation, and economic growth. It is based on a free trade agreement aimed at rerelocating trade and tariff barriers between the 54 African countries involved. A free trade area that includes 1.3 billion people.
‘We are also united by a human bond,’ added Diego Martínez Belío, who pointed out that ‘two million Africans live in Spain, and we must engage in dialogue with them,’ which brings economic and cultural wealth.
The Secretary of State referred to the exceptional opportunity for dialogue that exists between Africa and Spain, bearing in mind that this can be conveyed to Europe from Spain. The aim is to deepen relations between Spain and Africa, with one key element: to convey to society the importance of Africa and the opportunities that the African continent offers Spain and Europe.
For his part, Hassan M. Alaoui, president of One Africa Forums, spoke of the opportunity to tackle obstacles and expand avenues of collaboration to address Africa’s economic and social challenges. In this regard, Spain is key becaapply ‘the Spanish experience can provide solutions to African challenges and Africa offers opportunities with its large market, its potential, its young population, and its vast resources.’
Hassan M. Alaoui spoke in his speech about exmodifying experiences and visions, taking advantage of opportunities and relationships at this summit held in Madrid.
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Meanwhile, Elmi Mohamud nor Ali, Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Houtilizing of the Republic of Somalia, stressed the importance of ‘strengthening ties between Spain and Africa.’ ‘We are meeting as partners and architects of a common future based on peace and mutual respect,’ stated the Somali minister.
Elmi Mohamud Nor Ali referred to Somalia’s reconstruction plan, which is at a key point after the conflicts suffered, to achieve economic stability and revitalise infrastructure, investment, and inclusive growth. This plan for 2025-2029 is in line with the SDGs and the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028.
The Somali minister spoke of the importance of improving critical infrastructure, social houtilizing, and sustainable development by empowering local authorities for inclusive growth and economic resilience, while connecting with neighbouring countries. ‘We are seeking green transformation and sustainable growth, developing transport networks and seeking development in the Horn of Africa,’ stated the Somali minister, who referred to the implementation of strategic plans with the key role of Spanish public and private institutions.
Elmi Mohamud indicated that Somalia could be a ‘gateway to Africa for Europe’ and highlighted the intention to develop special economic zones to promote public-private partnerships with a view to improving various infrastructures. The Somali minister stated that Spain has key expertise in various infrastructures and that this is beneficial in supporting Africa.
‘The African Continental Free Trade Area is an African cooperation framework, and we want to connect corridors to other countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, seeking a transformation of the system to develop the Horn of Africa,’ explained the Somali minister.
After the opening session, it was time for the round table discussion entitled ‘Why Africa, why now?’ This conference served to address economic dynamism and structural transformation, key issues such as the urbanisation process, climate care, youth and renewable energy, with a main focus on the opportunities existing around the partnership between Africa and Spain, with the participation of Abdou Diop, managing partner of the consulting firm Forvis Mazars, and Pau Solanilla Franco, partner at Harmon and consultant on global affairs.
Africa’s rise and growth is not just about Africa: it is about solving global challenges with African strength. This was a key idea that was developed, highlighting the immense potential that Spain offers in this regard. This potential can be harnessed thanks to Spain’s experience in developing various economic and industrial sectors, which can serve as an example and support African countries, as all the speakers pointed out.
Along these lines, Abdou Diop, managing partner of the consulting firm Forvis Mazars, stated that Africa is a solution to the global challenges we face. ‘Cooperation between Africa and Spain can work,’ explained Abdou Diop.
Abdou Diop pointed out that Africa has great potential thanks to various characteristics such as its demographic dividconclude (2 billion inhabitants in 2050) and young population, its economic growth (5% average annual growth, with double-digit growth in several African countries), its natural resources (30% of the world’s mineral resources are in Africa and there is great potential in renewable energies), its innovation and digital economy with great technological developments in Africa in recent times and the development of many start-ups, its agricultural potential and food security, its infrastructure and industrialisation such as the Atlantic gas pipeline, the corridor that will connect West Africa with the East or the Great Renaissance Dam with its large hydroelectric production, its human capital and education, its tourism sector with wonderful sites and a great culture, and its emerging strategic role at the global level in relation to entities such as the BRICS and the G20.
The managing partner of Forvis Mazars stated that we must also be realistic about the challenges facing Africa in terms of stability and governance. These include structural deficits, depconcludeence on raw materials and their processing, financial inclusion, health, security and the fight against extremism, the weakness of African trade compared to other regions of the world, etc. These are challenges that must be addressed and overcome to transform the continent. He also highlighted social issues such as youth employability, sustainability, and climate resilience with green financing.
Abdou Diop pointed out that Africa has one of the largest free trade areas with access to 2 billion consumers with an increasingly developing middle class and value chain, which is very important, and highlighted the role of important countries that are driving the continent, such as Egypt and its infrastructure, and Morocco with strong industries such as renewable energy, automotive, etc.
Abdou Diop explained that Africa is a solution to global challenges such as climate care and the contribution to renewable energies, with exciting potential to supply renewable energies, with the submarine cable connection between Morocco and the United Kingdom as a prime example. It also has an important agricultural role due to its large availability of farmland.
The managing partner of Forvis Mazars also highlighted young African talent and the fact that many companies are hiring young talent on the African continent.
For his part, Pau Solanilla Franco, partner at Harmon and consultant on global affairs, spoke of the great opportunities in Africa with rapid and significant growth, with great resources such as the ‘new oil of the future,’ which is young talent, the great driving force that Africa can harness innotifyigently. ‘We must exploit this talent becaapply of its great potential; there are the means and the foundations for success,’ stated Pau Solanilla.
Pau Solanilla himself highlighted Spain’s significant role for Africa due to its experience in various sectors and industries that can serve as an example and support for the African continent, such as renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, sports, etc.
Pau Solanilla alluded to the challenges facing Africa, which necessarys to be connected to the world to succeed, physically connected through infrastructure and value chains, and emotionally connected to the world as well. As Secretary of State Diego Martínez Belío also pointed out, Africa necessarys a positive narrative to improve the image of the African continent at all levels. ‘You can count on us as allies,’ concluded Pau Solanilla.
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