The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, will inaugurate the third edition of the 'Spain in the World’ summer course, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UIMP, this Monday at the Palacio de la Magdalena.
The opening session features a dialogue on multilateralism between Minister Albares and the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Rebeca Grynspan, in which they will address the challenges and priorities of the global development agenda. This exchange comes at a particularly significant time, following the adoption of the Seville Commitment and Platform for Action at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Spain.
For Albares, this forum is important as it allows for an in-depth analysis of Spain's role in the world, “because for Spaniards to do well within the country, Spain has to do well internationally”. In an international context marked by uncertainty, fragmentation and the resurgence of geopolitical tensions, the Minister called for strategic vision, clarity and decisiveness, but also ambition and confidence in the face of the opportunities offered by the new global scenario.
Key issues
The course, which takes place from 14 to 17 July, brings together State Secretaries, representatives from multilateral organisations, international analysts and leading academics. During the four-day course, key issues will be addressed, such as the reconstruction of the multilateral system, the impact of global changes on European security, the role of Asia in the new world order, the challenges of peace in a world of conflicts, emerging geoeconomics and international influence through narratives and information. Spain's role in strengthening the European Union and its leadership in the Ibero-American Community will also be discussed.
This forum will also serve to analyse the priorities set out in the recently approved Foreign Action Strategy 2025-2028. Among these, Albares highlights the defence of multilateralism, European strategic sovereignty, cooperation with Latin America, economic security in the face of growing geopolitical rivalry, financing for development and the firm defence of international law, especially in the face of conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Gaza. The Minister described it as “a coherent foreign policy, with its own identity and focused on defending the interests and values of Spanish citizens in the international context”.
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