> foreign action Afghanistan > Know your embassy Vietnam, the second fastest growing world economy > spain abroad Campofrío, a company with an international focus > cultura Soria celebrates 100 years since the arrival of Antonio Machado > profile Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo > COOPERATION Workshop Schools, 10 years of development > INTERVIEW Pedro Alonso, a Spanish researcher at the cutting edge of medicine
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April-June 2007 No.2. 2st Quarter www.maec.es -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .
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An informative diplomatic publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
SPAIN AND THE EU a look to the future
Analysis> Darfur, an interminable conflict?
Editorial Alberto Navarro
Secretary of State for the European Union
A Necessary Europe ❖ Not long ago we celebrated the Golden Anniversary of European integration, the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which began the process of European integration. These have been, without a doubt, an historically unprecedented fifty years of peace and prosperity on the European continent. The Declaration adopted in Berlin on March 25 mentions some of these achievements as well as the values that we Europeans share. It reminds us that a united Europe is the best response we can provide to the challenges of globalization. It shows us that if, indeed, the dream of generations past has become a reality, then it is now necessary to think about and work toward its enjoyment by future generations. ❖ We are very familiar with the Europe we inherited from the founding fathers, but few speak of or dream about the Europe of the future, the one that our children and grandchildren will experience. To speak of Europe's future is to speak of ourselves, of our collective future. It is to answer the great question, what do we Europeans wish to accomplish together? It is, in short, to design a Europe for the 21st Century. ❖ Spaniards have generally had a passive attitude during the past twenty years, always waiting to receive the benefits and assistance offered by
Europe. Now we wish to be more active and make it clear that we are Europe. And that Europe will be what we make it. We must present concrete initiatives and proposals in order to move forward on a common immigration or energy policy or to develop European citizenship. ❖ I believe that in this increasingly globalized and interdependent world Europe is more necessary than ever, both with as well as outside of our borders. Today our citizens are concerned mostly with events outside our borders. In order to face these challenges and concerns, whether dealing with jobs, health, terrorism, immigration, climate change, third world poverty, the security of our energy sources, or the fight against organized crime, just to mention a few, it seems evident that we will be more effective if we act at the European level than at the individual Member State level. Not even the most prosperous and powerful countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, or France, can face these challenges alone. ❖ In addition, third party countries are pushing for a greater European presence on the international stage. The United States, Russia, Latin America, Africa, and Asia are asking Europe to participate actively in dealing with large-scale international issues. The European model of preventing and resolving conflicts, of which Europe is its own best example,
is sought after by countries on the six continents. There is a growing demand for Europe outside of our borders. ❖ However, Europe is in crisis. We are seeing a convergence of several factors: the lack of economic growth, the fear of globalization and displacement, the fear of poorly explained expansion, and continuous criticism of Brussels regarding anything that appears to be negative. Today many citizens believe that too much emphasis is placed on Europe and so the pursue a re-nationalization of policies, reduction of community legislation, and reinforcement of national identity. Another large portion of Europeans, on the other hand, believe that greater participation in Europe, more shared policies, more action and more communication at the European level are needed because only in this way can we respond to the challenges we face daily in this increasingly globalized and interdependent world. ❖ If I had to sum up the Europe that we are seeking or that we need for the 21st century from the Spanish and European point of view, I would propose the following four ideas: ❖ A political Europe with shared policies. We cannot resign ourselves to Europe being just a large market or free trade zone. The euro, our shared currency, isn't even enough. We need a Europe that takes action and is not a mere spectator in this globalized world. One that promotes our values and defends our interests. One that protects its citizens and gives them greater security inside and outside of its borders. We want a political Europe that speaks with a single voice on the great issues of concern to its citizens. ❖ A Europe of values and solidarity. We Europeans are united by principles
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Editorial Board. President: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Foreign Perspectives is an open forum and welcomes your suggestions and comments: opinion.miradas@mae.es
First Deputy Prime Minister: General Manager of Foreign Communications. Second Deputy Prime Minister: General Technical Secretary. Members: Cabinet Chiefs of the State Department of Foreign Affairs, the State Department for Cooperation, State Department for the European Union, State Department for Latin America, and the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI).
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SUMMARY and values: the respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality, and the Rule of Law. These values are the foundation of European identity. Our societies are defined by pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity, and equality between the sexes. ❖ A Europe of and for its citizens. Europe must bring itself closer to its citizens, explain the added value of its policies more clearly and show the human face of its actions. We need more European mobility and exchange programs inspired by the "Erasmus" program, which in fewer than 15 years has allowed more than two million university students (250,000 Spaniards) to study at a university in another Member State. This is a concrete and very inexpensive way of "making Europe" that should be extended to its federal workers, judges, police, and senior citizens. Because I am convinced that Europe will be shaped by its citizens or it will not be realized at all. ❖ A more effective, transparent, and democratic Europe. Europe has been attractive up until now because it has been effective. This is why so many States have knocked on its door, wishing to share this space where shared law is applied above national law, where non-compliance is subject to penalties and falls under jurisdictional control. We need strong, democratic, and efficient institutions that allow for decision-making, application of common existing policies, and promotion of new policies (foreign relations, defense, energy, immigration). If coming to a unanimous agreement with 15 Member States was difficult before, unanimity is a synonym for paralysis now that there are 27. This is why we need less emphasis on unanimity and more voting by super majority, keeping in mind that true effectiveness always goes hand in hand with democratic legitimacy.
❖ This, then, would be the ideal Europe of tomorrow. One unsettled matter, however, is the geographic demarcation of its borders. There is no doubt that the future of the Balkans is with Europe. But, this having been said, we must not reward the disintegration of countries or encourage an exclusive brand of nationalism. Sixteen years ago this part of Europe was comprised of only eight States; now, including Montenegro, there are twentyeight. Where there were eight borders there are now twenty-eight. In this same time period, we have eliminated borders in Western Europe by creating a single market and single currency shared by more than 300 million Europeans. ❖ The accession of Turkey is, however, being questioned by President Sarkozy and, in any case, will require a new referendum in France following the last reform of their Constitution, which requires this step for any future expansion beyond Croatia. In the case of Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, not to mention the Caucasus and Central Asia, this debate has not been raised, although it is foreseeable that it will come up once a new treaty replacing the Constitutional Treaty is ratified. ❖ What is at stake is the geographic demarcation of the new Europe. There are those who adhere to the "classical" focus taken by the Treaty of Rome, which did not define those borders, and those who believe that a Europe with claims to being an international power must clearly establish its borders, regardless of whether it has a privileged association or neighbor policy with the countries surrounding it. We will clear up this dilemma in the coming years, with the knowledge that something very important is at stake. We are defining the Europe that we want, or, better said, the Europe that we need in order to continue being relevant in the 21st Century, and, in this way, are ensuring our stability and prosperity. Our future as Spaniards and Europeans is at stake.
EDITORIAL OFFICE. Management: Manuel Cacho. Editor-in-Chief: José Bodas. Art Director and Editor: Javier Hernández. Contributors to this issue: Natividad Isabel Peña, Luis Sánchez, Alberto García Ferrer, Jacobo García, Laura Losada, Ignacio Gómez and Ana Llovet. Management: General Bureau of Foreign Communications. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28033 MADRID. No 2. 2nd Quarter 2007. NIPO: 501-07-002-0. Legal Depository: AS-3417-07. Publicity, Printing, and Distribution: www.4ccomunicacion.com
4 > foreign action Spain and the EU looking toward the future. 12 > Afghanistan, Spain's
commitment to reconstruction and development. 19 > Darfur, an interminable conflict? 24 > Foreign Action in Brief 30 > SPAIN abroad Vietnam, the secondfastest growing world economy 34 > Campofrío, a Spanish company with a multinational outlook 38 > DISCOVER SPAIN Our natural
patrimony. 19 > Soria celebrates 100 years since the arrival of Antonio Machado. 52 > cooperation Workshop schools, 10 years of development. 55 > Municipia, the meeting of Spanish solidary municipalities56 > MISCELLANEOUS Publications. 60 > Visit the future headquarters of the MAEC. 62 > INTERVIEW Pedro Alonso: “If a country does not improve its population's health, it will have a hard time escaping poverty.” A publication of the General Bureau of Foreign Communications for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC). Total or partial reproduction prohibited without the express consent of the editor. Foreign Perspectives is not responsible for editorial content or opinions expressed by the authors.
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Spain and the EU a look to the future
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● foreign action
"Rational-critical optimism”. These words -- which the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Corporation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, used to take stock of Spain's foreign policy of the past three years, certainly apply to this time of anniversaries. The European Union has just celebrated 50 years of existence in the international arena and Spain has celebrated 20 years of involvement with the Union. From a historical perspective, it is time to analyze the achievements and challenges facing us following one of the most important periods in recent history.
TEXT: natividad isabel peña bonilla. PHOTOS: efe
● New winds are blowingin the European Union in 2007. On the one hand, the shift of power resulting from the French elections and the upcoming change of Prime Ministers in Britain point to an eventful year that will have a powerful influence on the historical development of the Union over the next decade. On the other hand, 2007 is a year of anniversaries: the European project celebrates 50 years of existence, and Spain celebrates 21 years as a member of the Union. In light of this, it seems appropriate to review the successes achieved and the challenges faced by the European Union generally, and particularly by Spain. Spain is one of the most dynamic and active members in the Union today. As one of the leading States in terms of economic growth and European outlook, we occupy a position that requires us to assume a leadership role in 21st-century Europe. But what can Spain bring to the
50-year-old European Union? What can we do about the current challenges of economic globalization? How can we increase the European Union's political clout in the international arena? In short, what kind of Europe do we Spaniards wish to belong to and how can we influence its building process? Let's take look back and, by doing so, try to shed a clearer light on the future. When Spain joined the European Communities in 1986, this put an end to the secular isolation that had distanced us from the centers of international decisionmaking. Spain was finally a member of
a democratic project of European dimensions. Since then, much effort and sacrifice have gone into getting up to the level of our European partners. The results of this effort and sacrifice have placed us squarely at the head of the Union.
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Development of the European map since 1951 1951
1973
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Founding States: Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands.
New Member States: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
New Member State: Greece.
From an economic standpoint, according to data recently published by the Elcano Royal Institute in collaboration with Community Institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Spaniards are catching up to the community's average per capita income by one percentage point per year. At this rate, we reached 99.2% (23,087 euros) of the average earnings of the EU-25 in 2005. As a result, the Spanish economy has grown a cumulative 64% in the last 20 years -- 17 points above the community average -- while at the same time controlling its inflation and reducing it by 10% in 1986 to approximately 3%, its current rate. In addition, the Spanish economy is increasingly open, and the best client for our goods and services is the European Union. Approximately 90% of the foreign investment that we receive is from the EU, while more than 70% of Spanish commerce is aimed at our European partners. These economic numbers have translated into job growth in Spain. Our employment rate has dropped from 17% in 1986 to less than 10% currently. This means that thanks to the EU, 300,000 jobs are created annually in Spain, an unthinkable number only two decades ago. But not only the working
world benefits from this bonanza. The Erasmus programs are providing young Europeans, including Spaniards, with new opportunities to continue or complete their studies in Europe. According to Ministry of Education data, nearly 200,000 students have benefited from this great opportunity and life experience which helps to "build Europe". Another sector especially benefiting from Spain's membership in the Union, aside from the economy, is its infrastruc-
accomplished through the contribution of the European Investment Bank (BEI). All of the above have helped double the number of tourists visiting Spain in the last 20 years to 66 million in 2005. This number undoubtedly speaks to our excellent services. Despite being the primary net recipient of European structural funding over the last 20 years, Spain has also brought close to 100,000 million euros to the EU since 1986. This is why we can state unequivocally that today's Europe is also the fruit of our efforts. In other economic matters, Spain has lent a greater than average vitality and growth to the community over the past 20 years. If we wish for a strong and competitive Europe, it is time to support the principals of productivity and competitiveness found in the Lisbon Strategy. Spain needs to adapt to receiving progressively less structural funding if it is to support a Europe whose new Member States grow at the same rate Spain did over the past 20 years. In short, if we are to support a twenty-seven member Europe as a homogenous economic block with a voice and a vote in the globalized world, we should not question the principles of solidarity that have benefited us to date
Spain is one of the most dynamic and active members in the Union today. The leader in terms of economic growth and European outlook ture. Four out of every ten kilometers of highway criss-crossing Spain have been financed through community funds. In addition, the expansion of the Madrid and Barcelona airports, the metro system in Seville, the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia and the expansion of the Port of Las Palmas are just some of the large-scale projects that have been
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1986
1995
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New Member States: Spain and Portugal.
New Member States: Austria, Finland and Sweden
New Member States: Cyprus, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and the Czech Republic.
and that must now be applied to Romania and Bulgaria as well as the States involved in the 2004 expansion. In other words, where once we received, now we must give; this is the just response expected of us. For all of the above reasons, Spain should not turn a blind eye to the requirements of younger Member States. We should defend the European Union's need for sufficient resources to deal with the demands of expansion, the gradual shift in distribution of structural funds and the equitable division of different economic burdens among European partners. In short, Spain should be committed to the policies of solidarity and cohesion, and see the expansion of the European Union as an opportunity for a stronger Europe, with more States and a greater economic pull worldwide. We should face the challenge of adapting to this new situation with respect and responsibility. What, then, is expected of us? Spain must assume an active role. We must be courageous and take the initiative both inside and outside of the Union. We did this in the '90s when we pegged our economy to criteria of stability, backed the Economic and Monetary Union and adopted the euro as a single currency.
Now we must be proactive and not mere observers; we must provide a response to the challenges from emerging economies, the displacement of companies and economic competition from the United States, just to mention a few of the ways in which Spain still has a say. There are many challenges and time is short. Spain cannot be left behind in a Europe that is in the process of reflection. Continuing with our questions stated
ing this time, Spain has become a solid, stable, coherent democracy. We accept our commitments to Europe, which has expanded our horizons and the scope of action for our goals. In 2008 we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of 1978, three decades of internal political stability and economicsocial success in Spain that undoubtedly would be impossible without current membership in the European Union. But what does Europe have that has been a key for the success in Spain's young democracy? The ability to persuade, willingness to lead, media presence, and commitment to its goals. Europe is criticized for lacking political clout, and the United States continues to be the global power whose interests set the stage for the future of the entire planet. Yes, it is true that the European Union is not yet the elder statesman; that its scope of action does not match that of the United States and that its power is more economic than political. However, these statements are not entirely correct. The European Union does not presently compete with United States, nor does it intend to do so in the future. The European Union is a new political player. The association or political integration of twenty-seven sovereign,
What is expected of us? Both inside and outside of the European Union, we must be courageous, take the initiative, be proactive and not mere observers at the beginning and as we attempt to find answers, we should take a moment now to examine the European Union's political dimension. What does Spain's membership in the European Union mean? Europe has been in the sights of Spanish legislators, and at the heart of our debates, ever since the re-establishment of democracy in our country. Dur-
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independent, and free States had been unheard of until now. Never had a sovereign State given up vital aspects of its sovereignty such as its coinage to create -- along with twelve additional States to date -- a new currency, the euro, that today trades above the dollar. The European Union's political grandeur rests on the achievement of having buried the ghosts of war in the heart of Europe and having become a political player with regional influence and global aspirations in just fifty years. That is today's European Union. Spain participates in its political success. This is the reality that all Spaniards have helped to build. Because Spain's political contribution to the European Union in the past few years has been great, and some might say even prolific. The European Union on its golden anniversary is also a result of Spain's presence for the past 20 years. After its three presidencies of the Union in 1989, 1995, and 2002, Spain has brought the Latin American and Euro-Mediterranean dimension of its foreign relations to Europe. From the search for foreign recognition and acceptance, Spain has conditioned -- even determined, in part -- the foreign policy of the European Union. The past two decades have seen improvements in the ability of a united Europe to act globally. Spain's contribution to the Union's foreign relations has been recognized by the President of the European Commission himself, José Manuel Durão Barroso, who in recent statements affirmed the following: “The process of Spanish integration in Europe has contributed to the well-being, freedom, and safety of Spanish citizens and the rest of the citizens of Europe.” But though we have pushed for new initiatives within the Union to date, it is time for us to continue to align our agendas with Europe. Spain, a principal player in Latin America and recognized negotiator in the Middle East, should continue to synchronize its politicalstrategic interests with those of the European Union. This is an effort to support global multilateralism, work on trans-Atlantic cooperation, and to take advantage of the international dimen-
2007
Member States: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, and Sweden. New Member States: Bulgaria and Romania. Candidate Countries: Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.
sion of our language and our culture to help Europe become an international player on a global scale. In this sense, Spain's commitment to the creation of a true space for freedom, security and justice in Europe should project itself onto the European Union's international outreach for a more free, safe and just world for all. Our experience in international developmental cooperation, toward which Spain will put aside 0.5 percent of its GNP in 2008, places us in a privileged position to play a significant role in the matter. Finally, we must address the question about what kind of Europe we Spaniards want. Spaniards' pro-European outlook was clearly demonstrated
Spain, a principal player in Latin America and recognized negotiator in the Middle East, should continue to synchronize its political-strategic interests with those of the Union.
with the more than 77% votes in favor of the European Constitution by those participating in the referendum. Spain co-sponsored the European Arrest Warrants and Procedures (Euroorden), is part of the Schengen Space (in which only 15 of the 27 member States participate), and is also part of the Eurocorps and the Prum Treaty on Police Cooperation. Spain currently supports the Lisbon Strategy, the concepts of European cohesion and citizenship, regional Europe, social Europe, the Barcelona Process and -- among the most recent initiatives -- the Frontex Agency. Likewise, Spain has developed an immigration integration model that was recently noted for its effectiveness by the European Commission and the European Organization for Cooperation and Development (OCDE). In short, Spain is now a fundamental partner in the European project and should assume the leadership role it has earned thanks to its tenacity, commitment to and confidence in Europe. Faced with a constantly changing world, the European Union and Spain should now adapt to the new requirements of the international arena. Spain should head the process of European construction in an expanded twenty-seven Member State Europe with courage, tenacity, and responsibility. It should not simply accommodate the proposals of other members, but instead make its own effective proposals; it should not forget the heterogeneous nature of the Union, but instead bring the point of view of a Mediterranean country and southern partner so ingrained in our character. And thus, we arrive at 2007, a year of important challenges for the European Union. The first and perhaps most important one is how to resolve the impasse resulting from the negative referenda on the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands. Faced with this reality, the idea of a tailor-made Europe has surged and gained strength. Partners with a greater desire for integration will move forward with strengthened cooperative efforts, while those who do not wish to coordinate their
miradas al exterior spain and the eu look to the future
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Two representative images of Spain's road to the European Union. The first, from June 12, 1985, shows Felipe González and Fernando Morán signing the treaty whereby Spain joined the CEE, at the Royal Palace. Almost 20 years later, in October 2004, the President of the Government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Cooperation sign the Treaty of the European Constitution in Rome.
political, economic, or social agendas will simply have to accept a Europe of varying forms. This is not something new. Varying forms are already a reality in the euro zone due to the existence of the Schengen territory, or when applying Euroorden. These are examples of valid strengthened cooperation which allow us to move closer towards integrating the more ambitious member States, or those who are less adverse to sharing specific sovereign spaces. Despite the fact that Spain makes up part of the three, however, the proliferation of strengthened cooperative efforts can put European cohesion in danger. The principal of solidarity may be affected if we continue to move forward at different speeds, and we may wind up undermining one of the main keystones upon which the European idea was developed. From this standpoint, Spain supports preserving the substance of the Constitutional Treaty; it not only supports the maintenance of institutional innovations, but also the extension of application of the super majority to new applications and new fields such as immigration and energy, and even increasing the fight against global warming. We also support progress on Foreign Policy and Common Security to achieve a Europe that will, finally, speak with a single voice. In other words, Spain supports the European political project. However, all of the above requires an additional effort: explaining to European public opinion why a strengthened Union will be more solid, strong, and democratic. Spain, which brought together the "Friends of the Constitutional Treaty for a Better Europe" in January of this year, should continue to bear witness of this. This is the greatest challenge that we face: reactivating Europe's commitment to integration, supporting an ambitious
Treaty in which all States and peoples of the Union feel represented. In short, after fifty years and the self-evaluation that should be done at
Spain should head the process of European construction with courage, tenacity and responsibility, providing the viewpoint of a Mediterranean country
all milestones, the European Union can celebrate its golden anniversary looking confidently towards the future. There are many challenges that await us, but these twenty years that we have walked with Europe should feed our conviction that more Europe and a better Europe is the goal to which we should aspire. This is why Spain should continue to spur change from within, reaffirming its commitment to Europe, and to help the Europe of Monet and Schumann continue to be a true player in international policy and economics for another fifty years.
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viewpoint
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Reinhard Silberberg
Secretary of State of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Relations of Germany
Europe looks toward the future ❖ This past March 25 we celebrated Europe's 50th anniversary in Berlin. The Europe torn apart by the battles of World War II has today become a continent united in peace and freedom. An internal market with more than 450 million citizens, a single currency and a common space for safety, freedom and justice guarantee security and wellbeing as never before in history. The European Union has risen on the international map as a first-rate commercial power and an entity with international political clout. ❖ We can contrast that unprecedented historic success with the attitude existing in Europe today. Many citizens do not understand what is happening in Europe. More and more people feel directly or indirectly affected by the magnitude and the speed of relentless globalization. For some, this process provides them with more opportunities to fulfill their life goals, but others fear for their jobs or their own safety. And there is something more: there is uncertainty about the future of Europe. The stagnation of the Constitutional Treaty ratification process has highlighted a debate on a "crisis of trust". A critical public expects responses to the challenges of our time. ❖ What we need in today's Europe is a change in perspective. The European Union's historic achievements in overcoming a lack of freedom, poverty and a divided Europe cannot be denied. But the moment to look towards the future has also arrived. The capital challenges which face us as Europeans in the 21st century are:
- maintaining a European lifestyle and social model, dynamic economy, and social equilibrium in an era of globalization, - guaranteeing internal security in the light of terrorist and transnational criminal threats, respecting citizens' fundamental rights and public freedoms, - permanent strengthening of Europe's role in the world, stabilization of our immediate geographic surroundings in Europe and defending peace, democracy, and the social market economy worldwide, - and, lastly, defending the future of our planet, of sustainable development, protecting the environment, climate and conservation of the natural systems necessary for life. ❖ To overcome these challenges,Europeans must join their efforts. It is true that the EU is well prepared: thanks to the internal market
The European Union has risen as a first-rate commercial power and an entity with international political clout and a single currency, Europe is the largest economic space in the world. But it is also true that Europe cannot be left behind in the framework of global competition. It must achieve sustained growth with a high level of employment and attention to social and ecological factors. A fully developed domestic market and a proper effort made to invest in education and
research are necessary conditions to do this. Europe must learn to react to global change quickly and intelligently. In addition, it must instill trust in its citizens that it is acting in a democratic and transparent fashion. ❖ Positive economic development requires a safe, efficient and ecological energy supply. The constant increase in the demand for petroleum and gas, growing instabilities internationally and repercussions regarding global warming, demand a concerted effort on a European scale. We've taken an important first step in this direction through the strategic agreements adopted in the spring summit and by approving the energy action plan. Now we must develop an equitable division of responsibilities within the EU. ❖ We must keep in mind the special requirements associated with protecting the environment. The European Union has made a formidable statement and ratified its pioneering role in this field on an international scale with our self-imposed commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The upcoming negotiations on a post-Kyoto regime rest on encouraging other industrialized and emerging countries to set equally ambitious environmental goals. ❖ Citizens must continue to feel safe in Europe. The bloody attacks in 2004 in Madrid made us aware of this perception. Terrorism and transnational crime can only be fought through borderless police and judicial cooperation. As president of the Council, Germany has promoted intensified police cooperation, particularly in regards to exchanging data and strengthening EUROPOL. ❖ The tragic images of human beings about to drown in the Mediterranean underscores the enormous immigration pressure sustained by Europe. Illegal immigration and its related problems, such as clandestine immigration organizations and illegal
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Washington, and in particular we must continue to develop environmental protection as a new priority in transAtlantic cooperation. ❖ The EU maintains a strategic association with Russia in regards to economy, science, security and culture. Energy policy cooperation is a topic of mutual interest and should be discussed further. Negotiations on a new accord to replace the current association and cooperation accord remain the order of the day even after the difficult summit in Samara.
labor, require joint European responses. But it is important to integrate the focus, encompassing both legal and illegal immigration. We must tackle the causes of this exodus and arrange for the readmission of illegal immigrants to their countries of origin and transit. ❖ Citizens also expect Europe to act in a more united and decisive fashion in regards to Foreign Affairs and Common Security. Today the locations of the crises seem very distant, even though many of them are just a few hours flight away. Our most immediate task is to provide an internationally accepted solution for the Kosovo statute, based on the Ahtisaari Plan. Consequently, we should promote the inclusion of the Balkan countries into the European Union. ❖ In the Middle East it is necessar y to take advantage of positive advances, including reactivation of the Quartet, to get the peace process
The Constitutional Treaty signed in 2004 guarantees the ability to act, transparency and democratic legitimization of a Union expanded to 27 Member States. back on track ❖ To those around us who are not planning to join the EU and, in particular to our Eastern neighbors, we should propose attractive offers for a close and permanent cooperation through the Neighbor Policy. ❖ Europe's trans-Atlantic association with the United States of America is indispensable in regards to providing a model for globalization. We must take advantage of the important advances from the recent summit between the EU and the US in
❖ A reform of Europe's institutions and decision-making procedures is imperativein order to overcome the challenges Europe has before it. The Constitutional Treaty signed in 2004 guarantees the ability to act, transparency and democratic legitimization of a Union expanded to 27 Member States. Germany will try to relaunch the stalled constitutional process following negative referenda in France and The Netherlands. The ratification of the Constitutional Treaty by two-thirds of the Member States has not been in vain. It is important to achieve a commitment that all are willing to assume, one that preserves the substance and equilibrium of the Constitutional Treaty. ❖ The ability to act also means that the EU needs proper funding. Shortly we will begin the first discussions regarding the Union's financial perspectives post-2013. The European Union must be prepared to carr y out its multiple tasks. Resources should be invested where they bring comparative advantages to Europe in the global context. To this end, we should not lose sight of the principle of solidarity. Going for ward, it will be necessar y to promote harmonization of living conditions in Europe with a proper expenditure amount. In this sense, I am convinced that Germany and Spain will pledge to promote the future capabilities of the European Union.
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Aerial view of the city of Qala-i-nao where twelve technicians from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation are working.
Afghanistan TEXT: laura losada. PHOTOS: aeci
â—? The successive conflicts that Afghanistan has suffered in recent times, and those which it is still facing at the present time, have placed this Asian country at the most critical level of world poverty. There are more than 32 million inhabitants in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which comprises an area of 652,090 square kilometers. Life expectancy does not surpass 46 years, potable water is a miracle, and medical attention hit-or-miss. The Spanish commitment to the struggle against poverty, which is also reflected in this country, started to become a reality in September 2005, when, following an initial mission to iden-
the spanish commitment to its reconstruction and development The work of the Spanish provincial reconstruction team is concerned with the basic infrastructure and development of the role of women in Bagdhis, one of the most remote and depressed regions in the fifth poorest country in the world.
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AFGHANISTAN IN FIGURES
Area 652,090 km2 Neighboring countries Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Tajikistan, China and Pakistan Capital and principal cities Kabul, Qandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat and Jalalabad Independence 1919 Government Islamic Republic (2004) President Hamid Karzai Currency Afgani (AFA or AFN) Per capita GDP 800 USD Population (2005) 29.9 million
tify the varying needs of the population, the Spanish reconstruction team (PRT) set up base in Qala-i-nao, a small town in Bagdhis, a province assigned to Spanish responsibility by the international community. Bagdhis, situated in the west of Afghanistan on the border with Turkmenistan, has, within the fifth poorest country in the world, one of the lowest survival and development rates. Its geographical location and the lack of infrastructure cause it to be completely isolated in winter, when the temperature can reach minus 20 degrees. It is there that the civilian personnel contracted by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) are based; a total of 12 engineers, accompanied by approximately 200 soldiers to ensure their safety. The objective of the AECI on arrival in the area was to contribute to the struggle against poverty and improve a situation where child mortality was one of the highest in the world, with a death rate of one in six, and where only 6% of the population had access to drinking water
and there was not even one single kilometer of road. The reality is that after two years, there have been significant improvements, thanks the local authorities’ participation in the Reconstruction and Development Program driven by the AECI in the area, which since last year has received annual funding of 10 million euros, promised until 2010. And what has been achieved up to now? The greatest achievement is, perhaps, the establishment of basic infrastructure allowing the possibility of survival for the population to increase at least slightly. Communication by land and air, health, education, development of agriculture and enhanced social empowerment with a marked emphasis on gender constitute the main achievements, together with helping to make the
In September 2005 a Spanish reconstruction team arrived in Qala-i-Nao, a small town in Bagdhis
Ethnic groups Pashtun (42%), Tajik (27%), Hazara (9%), Uzbek (9%), Aimak (4%), Turkmen (3%), Baluchi (2%), Others (4%). Languages Pashtun (50%) and Dari/Persian (35%) Religions Sunni Muslims (80%), Shiite Muslims (19%), others (1%) (CIA Fact Book) Birth rate 46.6 %. Mortality rate 20.34% Growth rate 2.67 % Fertility rate 6.69 children Life expectancy 42 years Population with access to primary health care services 40% Population with access to drinking water 23% Population with adequate sanitation 12% Literacy rate 14% of women 15-49 years; 43% of men 15-49 years Refugees (2005) 3.4 million
region in which the Spanish help is working more governable. For example, last year the first 30 km of the road that will link Qala-i-Nao with Herat (the main city in the region) were finished. This year, the construction of this road will be continued, and 81 km of rural roads will be linked to it in order to allow communication with the residents of other districts. Until now, for some of these communities it was impossible to get to the only hospital in the area, located in Qala-i-Nao. Another of the big challenges was the construction of an airport to allow connections by air with the outside world in times of crisis, such as the floods that cut off the north of the province last year. The completion of work on the runway, in 2006, allowed the effective arrival of humanitarian help just in time to help those affected. The construction of this Infrastructure has led to a study by the United Nations on the possibility of opening a permanent office in Badghis. In order to carry out all these large-scale projects, the AECI depends on the collaboration of
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The projects carried out by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation in Qala-i-nao are exceptional, as these pictures show. Above: construction of the hospital, the only one in the province, and on the right. one of the water channels which serves more than 18,000 people.
the TRAGSA company as its own public administration resource. The province's Department of Rural Development has been provided with the heavy machinery required, enabling it to carry out and maintain its own projects in the future. In addition, the people working on these jobs are local, which means an injection of resources into the population, as well as serving as training for future jobs. The access to water, or the lack of it, one of the burning issues on world development agendas and a central theme in the UNDP’s Development Report of 2006, is not an unfamiliar problem in the province of Badghis. One in every four children born healthy in the province dies before reaching five years of age, in a high proportion of cases (40%) due to a lack of drinking water, a precious commodity to which only 6% of the population has access.
Bearing in mind these data, AECI's decision-makers in the field realized the need to install a distribution network for clean drinking water, which, since last April has served 18,000 people (according to the census) in Qala-i-Nao, the first city in Afghanistan to have this infrastructure. Some 80 wells will soon be built in rural areas to extend the initiative. Qala-i-Nao hospital, the only one in the province, has also been the subject of improvement by the AECI. The extremely high mortality rate in the area, especially mother-infant, is a problem that needs to be tackled. Badghis also suffers from the loss of health professionals, which the WHO has reported as being one of the main obstacles to health care in developing countries. For this reason, the AECI funds 75% of the health care workers at its provincial facilities and 100% of the supplies of
medicines and health-related items. Training local healthcare personnel, constructing and managing a nursing college and providing an ambulance service throughout the province are some of the actions that the Spanish cooperation effort has carried out in 2007 in the health care sector. Education is another of the priorities. The need for schools to deliver classes is acute and for this reason, at the same time that a stable infrastructure of 10 educational centers is being established, 160 tents have been set up throughout the province to provide for the education of 20,000 boys and girls. Meanwhile, the action of the Spanish Agency in the farming sector involves the promotion of crop rotation, the training of the farmers in the use of greenhouses, the improvement of irrigation, etc. in the valleys around Qala-i-Nao. This is a significant challenge, as the climatic conditions in the area cause everything from total drought in summer to lethal flooding in the rainy season. Finally, a fundamental objective of the cooperative efforts is to improve the lot of women: their training and development within the Afghan society of Badghis, ranging from their involvement in decision-making to their capacity to constitute a driving force for human development. Of course tradition, the religious beliefs of the population with its Muslim majority, and the social backwardness found in this completely rural region, in comparison with other areas such as the capital, Kabul, affect any development program. Even so, the AECI funds and manages, together with the International Organization for Migration, the Department of the Afghan Woman and in collaboration with UNICEF, a project to teach women literacy skills via a radio station which covers the entire province. The program covers women’s rights, basic hygiene, workshops etc. All of this is supported by a network of centers distributed throughout the province which undoubtedly contribute to a greater presence of women in Afghan society with a view to their future involvement.
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viewpoint
Leire Pajín
Secretary of State for International Cooperation
Opportunities and the future ❖ Much has been said about Afghanistan in recent months, but there are facts about this country which are not generally known. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries on the planet. Life expectancy is less than 45 years, a woman dies every 30 minutes due to pregnancy-related causes and one in every five children dies under five years of age. The people do not have guaranteed access to drinking water or health care and the infrastructure continues to be extremely inadequate: it can take more than five or six hours to travel 80 kilometers by road.
and manage 50 million euros (10 million euros per year, starting in 2005) ❖ One of the first things that has to be put in place for a country to be able to move towards the future is the improvement of its communications. Last year, the first 30 kilometers of the road that will link Qala-i-Nao and Herat, the biggest city in the region, was completed, allowing, among other things,
❖ It is in this ver y context that we see the commitment of the Spanish cooperation teams, contributing to the reconstruction of one of the poorest provinces in the country. ❖ Spain has been carr ying out work in this country since 2005, the year when the Spanish reconstruction team (PRT) arrived in Qala-i-Nao, in the province of Badghis. This PRT includes a military component and a civilian component. It is the civilian component that includes the personnel of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), which with a permanent team and through admirable work is developing a reconstruction program whose principal objective is the improvement of communications and of the health, water and education sectors. ❖ The commitment of the Spanish cooperation effort in Afghanistan has become a significant humanitarian and cooperative force. Spain is in fifth place in terms of aid announced and within this commitment the AECI will provide
some men and women to be able to get to the only hospital in the area, located in Qala-i-Nao. In addition to communications, the health sector is another priority. Thus, in the Qala-i-Nao hospital not only is the AECI rehabilitating local citizens, but also treating the drinking water system and providing the building with electricity, heating and an oxygen supply, as well as medicines and health care items. ❖ In order for development in Afghanistan to be genuine, the cooperation effort's actions must begin to included in the public policies of the Afghan government. Only in this way will medium-term and long-term progress be achieved, because it is only through public policies that it is possible to reduce inequalities,
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provide increased opportunities and make strides towards the strengthening and consolidation of the country. ❖ Thus, the Spanish cooperation effort, including in Afghanistan, has always protected the rights of citizens, both male and female, to take the leading roles in their own development. In this way it is the Afghanis themselves who, in coordination with the AECI, are already managing part of the rebuilt hospital and the stretch of finished road. ❖ Nothing should be done in Afghanistan without also considering women, who as in all developing countries suffer double discrimination, as a result of being poor and by virtue of the simple fact that they are women. The cooperation efforts are making strides towards the training of women in the province of Bagdhis and are also promoting their empowerment, understood as the strengthening the self-respect of women and increasing their representation in places where decisions are made, bearing in mind that although they suffer double discrimination, they are the driving force for development. ❖ As an example of this commitment, we are participating, together with the International Organization for Migration, the Department for Afghan Women and UNICEF, in a women’s literacy project through a radio station covering the whole province. The situation in which the country currently finds itself, along with a profound feeling of justice and firm support for the construction of a better and fairer world, is what has brought the Spanish cooperation effort to this country. ❖ Subsequent conflicts have placed Afghanistan in a situation of intolerable poverty, where, in addition, half the population, the country's women, have seen their rights doubly eroded. The work of the Spanish cooperation teams is aimed at helping to eradicate poverty in this country and create opportunities for a population which has already spent too long with no hope for the future.
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Pablo Yuste, Coordinator of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation in Afghanistan,
is working together with 11 Spaniards and a large number of Afghans to try to drive development in Bagdhis, the second-least developed province in the fifth poorest country in the world. In his role as a professional in the Spanish cooperation effort, he has been involved in humanitarian emergencies such as the tsunami of December 2004 and has coordinated Spanish cooperation efforts in places such as Egypt and Iraq, following the war there. He speaks three languages besides Spanish, and has experience in the United Nations and the European Union.
“It is the Afghans themselves who have to lead the reconstruction of their country” — What is the principal objective of the Spanish cooperation efforts in Afghanistan? — The AECI taken on the responsibility of trying to develop the province of Badghis. Our work is aimed at reducing the high levels of poverty and the cases of malnutrition that are characteristic of the worst African famines. There are people who are not worried about they will eat tomorrow because they don’t have anything to eat today. — ¿What are the characteristics of the land? — It is an area of very mountainous area, which in the winter becomes impossible. Last year, we had to respond to floods in the north of the province and we took two days to travel the scant 100 km that separated us. To this must be added the lack of security inherent in any failed State. The religious factor is also complex. — You have a great deal experience at the front lines of cooperation and
humanitarian emergencies. Have you encountered greater difficulties in Afghanistan? — All conflicts are the same and yet different. They all follow common lines, but the root causes usually go deeper and are more complicated than appears at first sight. n Afghanistan, the conflict appears simple: the Taliban against the international forces, but the reality is more complex. This is a country with multiple factions, divided for different reasons. Each region, each valley, is web of a million hates, grudges and prejudices. Any spark can escalate into violence. Because of this, implementing any project, especially in the beginning, was like trying to learn to use chopsticks. — What working conditions do the NGOs and the international organizations have to contend with to develop projects in the country? — First of all there a certain level of risk, but this risk is no greater in our province
than in other humanitarian projects and is actually lower than in Pakistan during the earthquake or Indonesia during the tsunami. In this sense, we rely on the support of the Spanish Army which maintains security in Badghis and is doing great work. Another challenge is that it is difficult to work in an area which is so poor and remote that not even the Afghans want to live here. If they themselves feel like running away from this situation, well, you can just imagine. Recruiting reasonably qualified personnel is a real battle. — And the AECI team? — The AECI team faces the same difficulties as the rest as far as recruitment is concerned. Our strategy, and it is giving good results, has been to train our local personnel from scratch. Last year we started training an Afghan management team from the ground up. Each day they are taking on more responsibility. As far as our personnel are concerned, all they can do is work. They work six and a half days a week, only resting on Friday afternoon. In spite of this, the team continues its work with great enthusiasm. We all believe one hundred percent in what we are doing and we can see the changes that are taking place. For example, we rely on Spanish foremen, who don’t come from the world of cooperation. And it has been a revelation to see how the group, the majority of them from León, has gotten involved with the people as new members of the town. — What do the local people think about the foreign presence? — We can say that the people are content. They place a great value on dialogue. We have had discussions with all segments of the population. We have asked them about their needs and we have enjoyed sitting down with them and trying to
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Pablo Yuste observes the collection of samples from wells in the region. PHOTO AECI
understand their culture, religion and beliefs, giving them the greatest of respect. In addition, our close links with the local authorities mean that our presence isn’t perceived as foreign. — The AECI has initiated a radio project for educating women. What difficulties are being faced? — We couldn’t be here without having to deal with dramatic and terrible plight of women. When we arrived we encountered enormous reticence on behalf of the population towards any project that would involve women. We realized that any contact between them and us would not only
It is difficult to work in an area that is so poor and remote that not even the Afghans themselves want to live there. We believe one hundred percent in what we are doing and we can see the changes that are happening. We are very optimistic.
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put our own safety at risk, but would also result in them becoming victims. Women are mistreated practically for no reason at all, let alone being seen with foreigners. Thus, we thought that radio was a good way of getting into the house without causing violence in the home. It is a way in which Afghan women can talk to other Afghan women without our involvement, just with our help. Radio has proved to be a useful tool. One of the problems we are most concerned about is the self-immolation of women, usually as a result of forced marriages. We hope that by spreading the right messages things will change little by little. — The ISAF placed the Spanish Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan as a role model. What sets them apart from the rest? — Spain opted from the very start for a long-term development model. Other countries were focused on rapid impact projects. We have left the soldiers to deal with security so we can work without any interference and with enough time to generate a model that the Afghans can agree with. — What are the expectations for Badghis? — We are very optimistic. We are currently working on opening a fast, all-season geographical link with the rest of the country. We are also working on the idea of opening a border post with Turkmenistan and identifying water sources deep underground. We are searching for mineral resources and we will continue to extend the network of roads, schools and health care. We are also working on broadening and improving agriculture and we are transforming a hospital which is coming to be considered a model for the western region of the country. A lot of things are changing and it keeps us positive. We can see that politicians and government officers are being turned to more and more, rather than resorting to violence. The people are beginning to realize that the only body offering them education, health care and infrastructure is the Government. They can also see that we are not invaders and that we confine ourselves to observing and helping; that we are just another part of the life of the
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The crisis in the western Sudanese region of Darfur exploded in February of 2003, coinciding with a time when the international community was intensifying its support for the last phase of peace negotiations. An imminent end to a long civil war between the north and south of the country was expected. The conflict in Darfur makes it clear that not only does a state of civil war exist in the Republic of the Sudan, but that there is also a high potential for disturbances in other, similar regions that are politically and economically marginalized.
Darfur An interminable conflict? TEXT: pepe bodas. PHOTOS: efe
● History of a long crisis. Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with a surface area of more than 2.5 million square kilometers and a population estimated to be close to 42 million people. It is ranked 141st on the Human Development Index (HDI) carried out annually by the United Nations Development Program.(UNDP). Darfur is a region located in western Sudan, which borders the Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya. It is
TIMELINE OF THE CONFLICT ● 1899-1955. Sudan is under Egyptian and British rule. ● 1955. Civil War between Sudan's north and south. ● 1956. Sudan gains its independence from the United Kingdom. ● 1962. Civil War starts in the
divided among three Sudanese federal states: Western Darfur, Northern Darfur, and Southern Darfur. The Darfur region stretches over 493,180 square kilometers, and is slightly smaller than Spain. It is located on an arid plateau with the Marrah Mountains, a range of volcanic peaks rising up to 3,000 meters, in the center of the region. The north consists of sandy desert, and the savannah extends to the south. The main cities in Darfur are El Fashir, Nyala and El Geneina. The Republic of the Sudan has been
south of Sudan. ● 1964. Creation of Hasan El Turabi's National Islamic Front (NIF). ● 1969. Coup d'etat by Gafar Nimeiry ● 1972. Peace accord with the South. ● 1983. Nimeiry imposes sharia in the country. John Garang, a Christian, establishes the SPLA
independent since January 1, 1956. However, internal conflicts occurred both before and after independence. Economic inequalities have always been the source of these conflicts. Thus, even before achieving independence, the greater attention given by British colonial authorities to the north of the country -- inhabited by Islamic Arabs -- to the detriment of the inhabitants in the south -- mostly Christian Africans and animists -- provoked the first Sudanese Civil War, which lasted until 1972. Subsequently, the introduction
and returns to civil war. ● 1985. Defeat and exile of Gafar Nimeiry. ● 1986. Sadiq al Mahdi wins the elections and forms a government with the left and the NIF. ● 1989. Coup d'etat by Hasan al Bashir. ● 1995. The UN sanctions Sudan after accusing it of putting
the life of the Egyptian prime minister at risk. ● 1996. After rejecting food aid, more than 700,000 people are on the verge of starvation. ● 2001. The peace negotiations in Nairobi fail. ● 2003. Rebel troops attack the government military base located in the north of Darfur. The Sudanese government supports
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of Islamic law in 1983 -- the sharia -throughout the country unleashed the Second Civil War, which lasted twenty years and caused close to two million deaths, created more than 600,000 refugees, and displaced a quarter of a million people nationally. In May 2004, the Government of Sudan and the People's Liberation Army, the main rebel group, signed a peace agreement. Meanwhile, in February 2003, two armed opposition groups arose in Darfur in the west of the country: the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which took up arms against the Arab Government of Khartoum because it believed that this government was not protecting its people and that the region had been marginalized. The government responded by arming, equipping, and
The Republic of the Sudan has been independent since January 1, 1956. However, internal conflicts have occurred both before and after independence. giving carte blanche to the Janjaweed militias -- the cavalry -- which began to attack civilian populations, primarily the Fur, Massalit, and Zaghawa tribes, causing the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Access to the zone was prohibited for both journalists and humanitarian aid workers and close
the Janjaweed militia. ● 2003. Thousands of people are homeless in Darfur. ● 2004. Cease-fire agreement. The African Union sends aid troops. ● 2004. Faced with pressure from the United States government and the United Nations, the Sudanese government agrees to facilitate access to
humanitarian aid workers and the entry of volunteer groups. The arrival of the rainy season makes delivery of the supplies difficult. ● 2004. The United Nations and Sudan try to alleviate the conflict in Darfur. However, in its refugee camp inspections, United Nations officials detect intimidation, theft, and abuse.
● 2005. Peace talks are held between the Government and the rebels in Abuja. ● 2006. The United Nations sends troops to replace the African Union soldiers. ● 2006. Kofi Annan accuses the Government of Sudan of continuing violence. ● 2007. The prosecutor from the International Criminal Court
indicts and ex-deputy minister from Sudan and the Janjaweed leader of war crimes and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed in Darfur. ● 2007. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union give the green light for 40 million euros in aid for the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.
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to 95,000 people have had to abandon their homes and take refuge in Chad to the east since December of 2003. On February 9, 2004, president Omar Al Bashir announced total victory against the Darfur rebels and declared "the end of military operations in the entire region," promising that he would authorize "unfettered access" to humanitarian aid. However, confrontations continued between the Janjaweed and the rebels in rural areas, where the latter still maintained control. Despite this, on April 8, a cease-fire between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebel groups was signed in Yamena, capital of the Republic of Chad. Faced with pressure from the international community, the Sudanese government announced the disarming of the Janjaweed Arab militia as well as the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid and authorization to deploy soldiers from the African Union to protect the cease-fire observers in the Darfur provinces. On July 23, 2004, the United States again threatened the Government of Sudan with imposing sanctions if it did not immediately act with "action and not promises" to improve the country's situation. For its part, the European Union asked the United Nations for sanctions against Sudan if violence did not cease in Darfur before August 12. On July 27, 2004, the Government of Sudan decreed a general "political and strategic" mobilization of all of the Country's military, stating that it wished to resist all efforts towards international intervention in Darfur. A ray of hope -- in the words of Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations -- shone in May 2006 when a peace accord between the two warring parties was signed. Unfortunately, hope was extinguished again with the renewed fighting between the different factions. The Government of Sudan, breaching the agreement, sent soldiers to Darfur and resumed its bombings. The United Nations again condemned the escalation in violence and demanded the Khartoum regime put an end to the fighting immediately, reiterating
SUDAN IN NUMBERS
DARFUR Surface area 2,505,810 km2 Inhabitants 38,380,000 Life expectancy 49.1 years Fertility rate 4.69 children Population infected with AIDS 2.3% Deaths from AIDS/year 23,000 Illiteracy 39% Population living in poverty 40% Per capita income 1,710 euros (Spain, 20,100 euros)
that the Darfurian crisis should not be solved militarily, but rather through political agreement with the participation of all interested parties.
● The humanitarian situation has worsened. Currently, four years after
El Fashir El Geneina
Khar-
toum
Nyala
the start of the conflict, the humanitarian situation in the Darfur region has not improved; rather, it continues to worsen. Along with the ongoing violence and the ceaseless displacement of people, disease is on the rise. In mid-2006, 21,000 cases of cholera had been re-
The Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs, Bernardino León, and for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín, along with the representative from Action Against Hunger, visit the Abushowk (Alfasher) camp in January of this year.
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VIEWPOINT
Álvaro Iranzo
Director General of Foreign Policy for the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa
A urgent issue for the International Community ❖ Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu recently stated: The situation in Darfur is one of the most serious human catastrophes on the planet. The United Nations has calculated that more than 200,000 people have fallen victim to the conflict since 2003. The crisis has likewise caused 2.5 million people --more than one-third of the total Darfurian population-- to flee their homes and fill the refugee camps, depending on aid from humanitarian agencies to survive. ❖ The Sudanese conflict has often been presented as an ethnic-religious rivalry or a result of the fight for control of hydrocarbon deposits. These explanations are deceptive or half-truths at best. In reality, it is not easy to clearly delineate the groups involved or identify the front lines, nor is it easy to explain the causes that brought about the conflict. There is plenty of blame to go around. ❖ The main rebel organizations that took up in arms in 2003 against the government in Khartoum and the pro-government militias have split and broken apart since then, and new groups have appeared. Alliances have changed. The conflict also has a regional dimension and its destabilizing effects are felt strongly in neighboring countries. ❖ At its core, the Darfurian crisis is based on a combination of demands for autonomy, hopes for a more equitable distribution of wealth and better government and, above all, the ancestral battle between herding (mostly Arab) and farming (mostly non-Arab) communities for access to the diminishing water and pasture resources.
❖ The philosophy of "non-indifference", defended by the president of the African Union Commission, Alpha Omar Konaré, has been put to the test in Darfur as an alternative to the classic principle of "no meddling", which has been used as a mask too frequently for an unacceptable passivity. The African Union, which has given political coverage to the peace negotiations in Abuja and has rolled out its first large-scale peace mission in Darfur -AMIS-, criticized as being insufficient and ineffective, is putting its credibility on the line as the continent's main agent for peace and stability. ❖ The European Union, the chief financial backer for AMIS and privileged partner of the African Union, has voiced a growing feeling of frustration due to the lack of real progress. ❖ The Arab League has not been able to, or has not known how to, create a basic sense of solidarity with its Member State while exercising its influence to foster a more constructive and committed attitude toward peace. ❖ China, an increasingly relevant and unavoidable player in Africa, has yet to come to the conclusion that in the long term, stability on this continent is the best guarantee for its investments. ❖ In the United Nations, the highlevel mission formed by the Human Rights Council was unable to travel to Darfur after the Sudanese Government refused to issue visas to its members, and the TPI will have to overcome great obstacles in order for its first processing orders to be fulfilled.
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❖ In any case, there does exist a rather generalized consensus about the need to bring together the various peace initiatives that are underway, and to prevent an increase in the number of forums which would translate into confusion and paralysis. The leading negotiation framework must be the one that is being jointly promoted by the United Nations and the African Union, and the road map must be the three-phase plan inherited from Kofi Annan. ❖ The Spanish Government backs this approach, and has made the resolution of this conflict and support for its victims one of its action priorities. Minister Moratinos did not select the Sudan and Darfur as the destination for his first official visit to sub-Saharan Africa in vain. It was here that he announced the reopening of the Embassy in Khartoum, which had been closed for more than a decade but which is fully operational today. Likewise, Spain has made an important effort in the area of humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Sudan. ❖ In a continent that keeps the memory of genocide alive, Darfur has taken on a symbolic value and has become a touchstone for the international community. The resolution of the oldest, and still the most devastating, conflict between the north and south of Sudan with the signing of the 2005 Peace Accords in Nairobi-- which should not be weakened by the crisis in Darfur-- and the creation of a National Unity Government in Khartoum, confirms that frameworks for peaceful coexistence can be established when there is political will and the international community acts in a coordinated fashion with the proper combination of pressure and incentives. ❖ Spain will continue to lend all of its support, both individually as well as in a coordinated fashion with its European counterparts, to end the unacceptable sufferings of the Darfurian people and to achieve a negotiated solution that enjoys the support of the international community and which lays the groundwork for the definitive reconciliation and reconstruction of Sudan.
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AWARENESS.
The humanitarian crisis that thousands of Sudanese refugees suffer from has led to a call to attention from various social groups worldwide. One of the most recent actions is the one led this year by well-known actors and musicians who, in these photographs, call on the international community to protect this population on the fourth anniversary of the conflict, symbolizing that time is running out. Pictured are actors Hugh Grant and Matt Damon, musicians Mark Knopfler and Emmanuel Jal (of Sudanese origin). PHOTO EFE.
The Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation for 2005-2008 includes Sudan on its list of Countries meriting special attention corded, with close to 700 deaths; more than 6,000 cases of meningitis, with 470 deaths, and many cases of yellow fever and hepatitis E. All of these numbers demonstrate not only that the conflict lives on, but that the situation in Western Sudan continues to worsen day by day. Meanwhile, the European Union Council has warned that the conflict in the Darfur region adds instability to neighboring areas, particularly in Chad and the Central African Republic. In addition, the existing situation has been worsened by the increase in attacks on workers from different humanitarian organizations, which limits access by the Dar furian population to international humanitarian aid. During the past six months, twelve humanitarian organization workers have been murdered, and non-governmental orga-
nizations and United Nations members have suffered more than thirty attacks. Among other commentaries, we must point out the one by the European Commissioner responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, who has recently shown his concern and demanded that the government of Sudan respect international humanitarian law and freely facilitate administrative procedures for humanitarian agencies.
● Spain's contribution in the conflict. Since taking power in 2004, Spain's current administration decided to make the Darfur region a priority in its foreign and cooperation policy. Thus, in September of the same year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, traveled to the refugee camps in Darfur accompanied by a delegation of Parliament members. Likewise, at the Oslo Donors' Conference held in April of 2005, Spain committed to contributing 30 million euros toward resolving this crisis between 2005 and 2007. A large part of this contribution has already been disbursed through activities led by NGOs and international agencies. Likewise, the Master
Plan for Spanish Cooperation for 20052008 includes Sudan in its list of countries meriting special attention. Lastly, in March of last year, approval was given to open our Embassy in the Republic of Sudan, which had been closed for more than ten years but which today is fully operative. Recently Miguel Ángel Moratinos stated his concern regarding the situation in Darfur during a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart in Madrid, whom he reassured that Spain supports the work of humanitarian organizations from the United Nations as well as Spanish NGOs.
● Time is running out. There is not much time left to find a fair solution that, undoubtedly, will require an exercise of political will by all players involved. And any such solution must address the Sudanese people's right to a dignified future. Four years of undeclared war, more than 200,000 dead, close to two million displaced, and the continued presence of hunger and insecurity are the main elements that will force the international community to take urgent measures so that peace in Darfur does not continue to be merely a utopian ideal.
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VIEWPOINT
Vicenç Fisas
Director of the School for the Culture of Peace of the universidad autonónoma de Barcelona
The challenge of consolidating a peace process ❖ Along with Iraq, the conflict in Darfur is without a doubt the most lethal and contagious situation that exists in today's world, which also makes it our greatest humanitarian and political challenge. Two hundred thousand dead and more than two million people displaced in fewer than four years of conflict: these are the numbers that sum up the failure of the international community and its diplomatic efforts to put an end to a highly complex, almost intractable conflict. ❖ The first factor in this complex issue, and one that directly affects any negotiation strategy, is the permanent division between the armed groups present. In 2003 there were two groups (the JEM and the SLA). However, as a result of continual splits, there are now more than 15 groups in existence, mostly led by militias with ver y specific interests and different clan loyalties. This group diversity has also translated into the multiplication of the number of countries and organizations prepared to facilitate negotiations, such as Chad, Nigeria, Eritrea, the Netherlands, and the leaders of southern Sudan, as well as the African Union (AU) and the goodwill of some European organizations involved in the problem. ❖ The first challenge, therefore, is
to try to unify into one voice, or at the most two, the claims of the various armed groups present in Darfur, as well as to clarify and designate those countries or organizations that are to bear the weight of the negotiations. ❖ The second challenge is to prevent
No cease-fire agreement or promise to end hostilities leads to a true peace without the participation of civil society
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become a reality and not fall apart as it has on previous occasions, since these two countries support different groups operating in Darfur. ❖ A third factor in the conflict has been the Sudanese resistance to the deployment of a joint force of 20,000 peace-keepers from the AU and the UN, especially those deployed to pacify the border between Darfur and Chad. ❖ Despite numerous calls by the Security Council, it is foreseeable that this force will take time to be effective, because in order to be truly effective, it needs the backing of the Sudanese government, which must control the “Janjaweed” militias, unless the Council opts for a military operation of a more offensive nature, something that is thoroughly improbable today. In this sense, and keeping in mind the role they played in ending the earlier conflict in the south of Sudan, the United States and China have had, and will continue to have, a specific responsibility to ensure that the Sudanese government takes part in negotiations to find a solution, as it did in the conflicts that affected the South and the East of this country not long ago, and which were brought to and end by negotiated agreements. ❖ Finally, we must remember that no agreement to cease hostilities leads to a true peace without the participation of civil society which, though typically not represented in the negotiations, must be present in any “inter-Darfurian dialogue”.
the conflict from continuing to expand past the borders of Darfur, especially into the Central African Republic and Chad. In this regard, we would have to do everything possible in order for the recent agreement signed between Chad and Sudan in Saudi Arabia to
❖ Darfur, therefore, is one of the greatest challenges that the international community must face. This community delayed more than a year in taking action and still has not been able to find the necessary balance between sanctions and incentives to end to a drama whose dimensions are a true blight on human dignity.
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foreign action in brief Meeting with the Director if the International Migration Organization ● Bernardino León, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Brunson McKinley, Director General of the Migration Organization, at the beginning of April. This institution was set up in 1951 to address the problems of the refugees created by World War II. Today it is the main intergovernmental organization dealing with migrations, and our country has been a full member since June 2006. The meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Interior, and Labor and Social Affairs, looked at experiences and joint projects which have been begun recently in North Africa and Mauritania, and the general criteria and measures for dealing with new migration crises.
World Water Day 2007: ‘Coping with water scarcity’ ● March 22 was World Water Day, whose theme was “Coping with water scarcity”. This initiative came out of the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development that took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The aim of this day of action is to increase awareness among all social classes and segments of the population that water is a limited natural resource that is essential to suppor t life, and that in many par ts of the world it is in limited supply. This Day of Action is coordinated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Spain is aware that the water problem is one of the main challenges of the 21st centur y and that cooperation is a crucial and effective means of breaking the vicious cycle linking water scarcity, pover ty and disease, and is working on projects and aid programs in a number of areas through bilateral agreements.
Creation of the ONUART Foundation
● The ONUART Foundation, which works within the scope of the International Organizations, particularly the UN, based in Geneva, aims to make a major contribution to Spanish art. The institution was set up for the purpose of further strengthening Spain's support for multilateralism. Its first project will be the renovation of Room XX of the Palace of Nations in Geneva, with the completion of a work by the artist Miquel Barceló in its Dome. The Foundation counts among its sponsors the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Spanish Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, the former President of the IOC and the Director of the Prado Museum, among others.
Graciano García, Gold Medal of the Diplomatic School in Madrid ● The director of the Prince of Asturias Foundation, Graciano García, has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Diplomatic School, which was presented to him by its director, Ambassador Andrés Collado, who emphasized the relevance of the Prince of Asturias Awards and their increasing high profile abroad. Graciano García is a graduate of the
National School of Journalism in Madrid, and, as well as having had a long career as a journalist he has been honored by major awards such as the Commendation of the Order of Civil Merit and the Asturias Gold Medal, among others. On September 24 1980, in the presence of the King and Queen and the Prince of Asturias, he brought his idea to fulfillment and created the Prince of Asturias Foundation and Awards, which have now become a major inspiration throughout the world.
Signing of the General Agreement for Zaragoza Expo 2008 ● On April 19 the General Agreement for the Zaragoza Expo 2008 was signed. Its signature by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the General Secretary of the International Exhibitions Office provides the event with a legal instrument enabling it to make the appropriate arrangements for nations and international organizations to participate. The Zaragoza International Exhibition will provide visitors with useful information in three specific areas of the exhibition's theme: the environment, international aid, and technology and economics. 82 countries and many international organizations have already confirmed that they will be attending this event in Aragon's capital.
International Day for Mine Awareness
Director of the Prince of Asturias Foundation.
● On April 4 the first International Day for Mine Awareness took place. This initiative was approved by the United Nations General Assembly last year. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the danger of land mines as both a humanitarian and a disarmament issue. Spain's commitment to combating the suffering caused by anti-personnel mines and other explosive material left behind from wars is underlined by other recent actions, such as its endorsement
Calendar of Events for the Spanish OSCE Chairmanship During the month of April the acting OESC President, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, held a series of high-level talks with political and public representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. April 23. At the request of the Acting President, the Director General of Foreign Policy for Europe and North America, José Pons, traveled to Moldavia to hold talks on the Transnistrian problem. These meetings are a clear result of the Spanish Chairmanship's efforts to facilitate talks and open communication in order to find solutions. May 21. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation traveled to Armenia and Azerbaijan, where he met with top officials from both countries, including Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev. Discussion centered on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. June 7. The Acting President of the OSCE manifested the "OSCE's steadfast commitment to the promotion of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief" and pressed for the adoption of a common focus in these matters at a high-level meeting on intolerance and discrimination. Bucharest hosted the meeting. June 13. Ambassador López Jorrín, Head of the OESC Spanish Chairmanship's Task Force, attended a meeting held in Mongolia, where he agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation between the organization's five Asian partners and the other OESC members, in order to improve security on a worldwide level.
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of Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War and its participation in the Oslo process on cluster bombs.
Opening of the new SEGIB headquarters on Paseo de Recoletos ● Last April 23 saw the opening of the new headquarters of the General Ibero-American Secretariat situated at No 8, Paseo de Recoletos in Madrid. The ceremony was attended by the Ibero-American General Secretar y, Enrique Iglesias, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. In his speech the Spanish minister made reference to the importance of the Seventeenth Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State which will take place in November in Santiago, Chile, and which will focus on the theme of social cohesion that he considers to be “the greatest challenge facing the IberoAmerican Community”.
Unveiling of the stamp commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the European Community ● On May 3, the stamp commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the European Community was unveiled. One million of the 58 cent stamps have been printed. The unveiling ceremony was held in the Santa Cruz palace, and was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Director of the Postal Service, José Damián Santiago Martín. The stamp is part of the “Anniversaries” series and it demonstrates how philately can be used as a means of cultural transmission and integration to promote the idea of Europe. As part of this impetus, 25 stamps on the theme of the European Community have been issued since Spain joined, the last one being the January 2005 issue featuring the European Constitution.
Meeting with Mohamed El Baradei ● The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation held a task force meeting in May with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed El Baradei, and emphasized to him that non-proliferation and disarmament are among Spain's foreign policy priorities, and that they reflect our commitment to genuine multilateralism. Spain is the eighth member of this organization and there are currently 33 Spanish officials working there. During the meeting, the Chief of Diplomacy confirmed that Spain placed a high value on the work IAEA is carrying out during the Iranian crisis and said that the unity and steadfastness of the international community together with dialogue should provide a way forward in encouraging Iran to cooperate fully with international institutions in the area of nuclear non-proliferation.
Secretary of State Trinidad Jiménez tours Ibero-America ● The Secretary of State for IberoAmerica, Trinidad Jiménez, carried out a
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tour of Ibero-American countries in May. The first step in her travels took her to Colombia from May 9-11, where she met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Mayor of Bogotá, members of the Spanish business community and representatives of Spanish NGOs. She then visited Argentina, where she discussed bilateral issues and shared agenda items with government representatives. Her journey ended in Panama where she and Panamanian President, Martín Torrijos, inaugurated the Panama Book Fair, which this year features Spain.
Trinidad Jiménez during her meeting with the Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fernando Araújo. PHOTO EFE.
Five new Consulates General are opened ● The Council of Ministers signed an Agreement in May whereby the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Ministry of Economics and the Treasury and the Ministry of Public Administration are to take the necessary steps to open Consular Offices with the status of Consulates General in Dakar (Senegal), Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), Guayaquil (Ecuador) and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) as soon as possible. The creation of these Consulates General was provided for in the Council of Ministers Agreement of September 1 2006, which approved a range of measures aimed at extending Spain's activities abroad, including the opening of a number of Consular Offices. According to the implementation timetable set forth in the Agreement, the Consular Offices in Dakar, Carta-
gena de Indias, Guayaquil and Santa Cruz de la Sierra are expected to open in the latter half of 2007. However, due to the increase in the workload of the Consular offices in Senegal, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia brought about by the high level of immigration of citizens from these countries, it has been necessary to accelerate the opening of these Consular Offices.
Resolution on the Western Sahara ● The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a Resolution underscoring its commitment to the aim of moving towards a solution to the contentious issue of the Western Sahara by means of a permanent settlement. The Resolution extends the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate until October 31, 2007. Spain believes that it is highly desirable to continue with the Mission in order to maintain a United Nations presence in the region and to monitor the ceasefire. The Security Council also called on the parties to enter into negotiations in good faith and without preconditions, bearing in mind the progress made over the last few months, with the aim of reaching a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution that will allow the people of the Western Sahara to decide their own fate. At the same time, the United Nations Security Council asked the UN Secretary General to oversee the negotiations and to invite Member States to lend their support to the process of dialogue. Spain, for its part, is gratified that the Security Council is in agreement with the approach Spain has adopted over the last few months. Spain, as a member of the Friends of the Western Sahara Group, has been actively involved in the negotiations, which have been delicate due to the complexity of the different emphases and approaches that have had to be taken into account, but fruitful in that they have culminated in a statement of commitment in which
the importance of international law has been maintained and emphasized, which contributes important political added value, and thus reflects the commitment of the International community to helping to resolve the impasse over issues in contention.
Spain is Named to the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization ● Francisco Cadarso, Director of the National Institute of Meteorology, won more votes than any other candidate in OMM elections held in Geneva last May. This United Nations Organization provides authorized scientific information about atmospheric environment, the planet's fresh water resources, and climate-related matters. It also facilitates international cooperation for the establishment of networks of meteorological observation networks and promotes the establishment and maintenance of meteorological service supply centers. It is made up of 185 Member States and its main office is in Geneva. The election of a Spanish candidate to the Executive Council is further evidence of our country's commitment to effective multilateralism and strengthens Spain's already strong image in international organizations. Also evidencing this commitment is Her Majesty Queen Sophia's sponsorship of the Conference on the Economic and Social Benefits of Meteorology held in Madrid last March, and the fact that Spain is the second largest contributor to the Organization.
Madrid hosts the first meeting of the Forum for Inter-American Dialogue ● On May 17, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation presided over the first meeting of the Forum for Inter-American Dialogue held outside
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Group portrait of the inaugural event at the Casa África headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. PHOTO EFE.
of the American continent, at the Santa Cruz Palace. This forum offers a space for reflection and is made up of more than one hundred important individuals from the United States, Canada, and twenty-two countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Madrid was the location chosen for studying the political, economic and trade prospects of Latin America, thus allowing European individuals and institutions to participate in the meetings. The Forum, whose headquarters are in Washington, regularly brings together leaders from the public and private sectors to seek answers to problems and to study the opportunities facing the American continent. The Forum is unified by a commitment to democratic principles, the acceptance of dialogue as a means of communication, and regional economic cooperation. The meeting came about in Madrid thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Directorate General for Ibero-America. Along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the Director General for Ibero-America, Enrique V. Iglesias, other important individuals in attendance included the Secretary General of OAS, José Miguel Inzulza; former High Representative for Commerce from the United States, Carla Hills; the Secretary General of the OECD, José Ángel Gurría; the former President of Chile, Ricardo Lagos; and the President of the Andean Development Corporation, Enrique García.
Inauguration of Casa África ● Their Majesties the King and Queen presided over the Casa África (Africa House) inauguration ceremony on June 12 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The new institution is intended to improve European relations with the 54 African countries. Attendees included the President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, the President of Guinea Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira, and Cape Verde's Prime Minister, José María Neves, among others. During his remarks, King Juan Carlos emphasized that Casa África will become "a key new tool for the promotion of friendly relations between Spain and the African continent", and that its goals "are a reflection of our willingness to strengthen our understanding and cooperation with a land that
Spanish-Cuban Relations ● “We are entering into a new phase in which firm and open dialogue will allow us to express our opinions, which may not always agree, but which will always permit us to seek understanding and to advance together”. These are the words with which Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, summed up Spain's decision to articulate a new relation-
borders our own country... a land filled with poverty, and struggling in its development, but a land that also holds tremendous potential." The opening of Casa África is one of the key initiatives of Plan Africa 2006-2008, which was approved by the Spanish Government. Casa África is managed by a consortium that includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Island Councils of the Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote Islands, and the Las Palmas City Government. The budget of nearly 5 million euro will support actions focusing on four general areas: culture, education and scholarship, cooperation and social affairs, and the economy.
ship between Spain and Cuba. This was the purpose the Minister's recent visit to Havana, accompanied by the Secretaries of State for Ibero-America and for Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez and Leire Pajín, respectively, and three of the Ministry's directors general. Mr. Moratinos indicated that during his stay in Cuba he had detected "certain elements" that bode well for a "willingness to change" within the Cuban regime, and he assured his listeners that Spain
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electoral
observation
missions
Hope for Nigeria TEXT: Mª Rosario Fátima aburto baselga
Miguel Ángel Moratinos and his Cuban counterpart, Felipe Pérez Roque, during the signing of several cooperation agreements. PHOTO EFE.
is maintaining an open dialogue with the Cuban opposition. The first meeting of the Dialogue on Human Rights was held in this connection last May in Havana within the framework of the bilateral mechanism for policy discussion that exists between the two countries.
www.maec.es adopts new communications tools ● In mid-May of this year, the web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation was provided with a new communication tool, representing a step forward in the development the Ministry's multimedia communications resources. The new section of the site, entitled ’El Ministro en directo’ (direct line to the Ministry) periodically brings together audio-visual clips of comments made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation about certain current affairs and Spain's foreign policy. The video can be viewed in two different formats and can be downloaded onto any personal computer or hand-held media player. This advance in communication capability supplements the various audio-visual productions that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is creating with documentary videos on a wide variety of current topics. The production and publication of the video are under the direction of the Directorate General for Foreign Communications.
● We, the three representatives selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in an election mission to Nigeria, were unanimous in our final report. Nigeria can and must improve. It must improve with the help and encouragement of the international community, but without imposed authority or excessive hand-holding. International observers noted significant irregularities in the April 21 elections and the evidence was clearly witnessed by the Spanish mission as well. We have seen the disorder, we know it is impossible to get presidential ballots to every voting booth in this enormous country, and we have heard the nearly universal complaints of abuse and corruption. We have also seen a strong, intelligent people, with their sights set on the future—a people with strong traditional institutions, such as village chiefs who are now elected democratically, instead of taking their place by force or meritocracy, and governors who were formerly warlords, and are now elected in a more or less stable process, often with commendable results. The fact is that democratic elections must rise above the traditional order, replacing the concept of power by force, riches, or tradition with power granted by popular vote. The Nigerian people must come to understand the true meaning of democracy—no simple task for a nation where
one third of the population lives in extreme poverty, where 80% of women are illiterate, and where Shariah retains a firm hold on the northern half of the country. Nigeria is a huge country, with a population of nearly 140 million, immense energy wealth, and vast potential in other areas as well. The fertility rate exceeds 5 children per reproductiveage woman--a clear indication of underdevelopment. In these conditions, it is no surprise that corruption and abuse of power are an everyday occurrence. But there are foundations upon which to build, which is a key factor in Africa. The image of a nation has been created as well as that of a State of which transparency and order can be required. And just as importantly, courts of law have been established with the independence and training necessary to provide solutions. There is certainly hope in the future of Nigeria. It will require unwavering support, a demand for democracy, and partnership cooperation. This is a matter of grave import, first and foremost to the Nigerian people, secondly to Africa itself, and naturally to Europe as well.
* Mª Rosario Fátima Aburto Baselga is a PSOE party representative. Jordi Xucla, a representative from the CiU party, and Jose Ignacio Echaniz, a representative from the PP party, also took part in the electoral mission to Nigeria.
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Spanish Contributions to International Organizations ● The Council of Ministers has designated the 18th and 25th of May for the payment of some 150 million euro representing Spain's contributions for this fiscal year to several international organizations and programs financed through the Development Aid Fund (DAF). These contributions include 35 million euro earmarked for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); 22 million for UNICEF; another 22 million for the United Nations Development Group's Iraq Trust Fund; 11 million for ANCUR; 10 million for the Lebanon Reconstruction Trust Fund, and contributions to the FAO, UNESCO, the United Nations Population Fund, the Women's Fund, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the Palestinian Refugee Agency, the UN Human Rights Office, and the Directorate General for Ibero-America (SEGIB) for carrying out development activities.
Spanish-African women's meeting for a better world ● Almost 300 women from 45 African countries and 200 Spanish women participated in the Second International Spain-Africa "Meeting of Women for a Better World" held in Madrid. Four round tables and two conference sessions served as the focal points of the meeting, which was inaugurated by Queen Sophia, Vice-President María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the Prime Minister of Mozambique, Luisa Diogo. In her address, the Vice-President of Spain underscored her "firm" belief in the equality of men and women and her conviction that there can be no "turning back" in the pursuit of this goal. The most important outcome of the Spain-African Women's Meeting was a commitment to provide staunch support for the creation of a United Nations equality agency "with rank and suffi-
cient financial, technical, and human resources”. Giving the meeting's closing address was President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, whose address coincided with International Working Woman's Day. The chief executive stated that he is a "committed feminist" and then promised to "cooperate more, and more effectively," following which he invited other countries to join the initiative for progress and equality, taking it beyond its current status as a mere bilateral agreement between Spain and Africa.
2007 Information Campaign: "Your Embassy Can Help You” ● On June 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation presented the Ministry's 2007 Information Campaign to the media under the name "Your Embassy Can Help You”. It works to emphasize the extent of public service provided by a Ministry that handles the needs of millions of Spanish citizens in other countries. Its purpose is to invite each citizen to become familiar with and to use the services offered to them by Spain's embassies and consulates in the event that they need such services while out of the country. Through this campaign, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is seeking to bring the work of Spain's
Miguel Ángel Moratinos speaks at the presentation of the 'Your Embassy Can Help You' campaign.
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consular network closer to Spanish society, and especially to those 14 million Spaniards who travel to foreign countries every year and to the million and a half Spanish citizens who live in other countries. The campaign to be carried out this summer will spread the message using various forms of advertising media as well as through the distribution of brochures and posters providing detailed information to citizens, with the help and collaboration of two major travel agencies. This information is also available at www.maec.es
Condoleeza Rice of Condoleeza Rice ● US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's first official visit to Spain was highlighted by a meeting with President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, another meeting with Foreign Minister Ángel Moratinos, a third meeting with the President of the Popular Party, Mariano Rajoy, and an audience with His Majesty, King Juan Carlos. At a joint press conference held with Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the US Secretary of State stated that she had had a "fruitful" meeting with Miguel Ángel Moratinos and, among other topics, made special mention of the level of bilateral cooperation in the fights against terrorism and drug trafficking, underscoring that "our military relations are very strong, which helps in the mutual pursuit of security.” For his part, Miguel Ángel Moratinos assured those present that after this visit, "we can state that our relations are completely normalized, after a period of ups and downs" experienced in the past, and he expressed his opinion that both countries "can look to the future with greater confidence" and in a "spirit of working together and helping to create a better world." With respect to Cuba, Spain's chief diplomat pointed out that the policies of Spain and the United States towards the island nation "are complementary, not contradictory."
 spain abroad Thirty years have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Vietnam. During these three decades, the government authorities and the citizens of both countries have come to realize that geographical distance and cultural differences do not have to get in the way of collaboration and friendly relations.
A view of the crowded streets of Hanoi. PHOTO EFE.
TEXT: pepe bodas. PHOTOS: vietnamese embassy
â—? Diplomatic relations between Spain and Vietnam were stabilized on May 23, 1977 following the reunification of the country two years earlier. However, the first steps to strengthening ties, especially economic ties, between Madrid and Hanoi would not be made until July of 1994. It was on October 18 of that same year that Vietnam's Foreign Affairs Minister made his first official visit to Spain. Nguyen Manh Cam and Javier Solana signed a Joint Declaration in which both parties expressed their desire to strengthen friendly relations and increase economic, commercial, cultural, educational, scientific, and technological exchange "in order to improve the welfare and progress of both peoples on the basis of equality, non-discrimination, and mutual benefit." The parties also agreed at that time to open diplomatic representation in both countries. In February of 1996, Carlos Westendorp became the first Spanish diplomatic head to make an official visit to Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 1977. Ignacio Sagaz, the first Spanish Ambassador to reside in Vietnam, presented his Letter of Credence on December 3, 1997, thus marking the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations. The Trade Office had been opened a few months earlier in Ho Chi Minh City, and Vietnam opened an Embassy in Madrid in June of 2002. In 2002, Her Majesty Queen Sophia traveled to Vietnam to observe the influ-
Vietnam
the second fastest growing world economy
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> facts about VIETNAM Official name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam Population: 84.2 million inhabitants (2006) Government: Socialist Republic, under the direction of the Communist Party Capital: Hanoi (3.4 million inhabitants) Currency: The Vietnamese Dong (VND). Exchange Rate: 1 euro: 21,257 VND (December 2006) Area: 332?000 km2 Total Gross Domestic Product: 251.609 billion dollars Annual Growth: 1,4% (2000-2005) Inflation Rate: 8 % (2006)
ence of Spanish Cooperation in the country. During that trip, Queen Sophia visited a hotel management school for disabled youth and the Cervantes Hall; she also met with the President of the Republic, Tran Duc Long, and spoke with the heads of Spanish NGOs. The first State visit to Vietnam finally occurred in February of 2007. Their Majesties the King and Queen headed a delegation that included representatives from 35 Spanish businesses, who took part in a series of Business Conferences attended by 250 local businesses. It was during this visit that the Reciprocal Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (APPRI) and memoranda regarding the creation of the first bilingual diction-
Life Expectancy: 70.4 years (2004) Infant Mortality: 29,9% Fertility Rate: 2,32 SPANISH DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION Address: Daeha Business Center, 15th Floor. 360 Kim Ma Str., Ba Dinh HANOI. Telephone: (84-4) 771 5207/8/9 E-mail: embespvn@ mail.mae.es Spanish Ambassador: María Soledad Fuentes Gómez
ary, cooperation in sports, and between the EFE News Agency and its Vietnamese counterpart were signed.
and Ho Chi Minh City have been approved for this year, bringing the total number of assistantships in Vietnam to six.
● Spanish Language Awareness. Since the AECI scholarship program began in 1998, Spain has been promoting the study of the Spanish language in Vietnam through scholarships for students participating in summer courses and postgraduate programs in Spain. In addition, Spain implemented a Spanish language assistantship at the University of Hanoi during the 2002-2003 academic year. Two assistantships at the University of Ho Chi Minh City and a second assistantship at the University of Hanoi were later implemented as well. Two new assistantships for Hanoi
● A Brief Guide for Travelers. Vietnam covers a land area approximately 65% as large as Spain. Nearly three fourths of Vietnamese territory is covered by mountains. In spite of this, the highest population concentrations are found in the flatlands, especially near the deltas of Vietnam's two largest rivers: the Red River and the Mekong River. Forests cover 21% of Vietnam's land area. Rubber trees, teak trees (which can reach enormous circumferences and serve as the raw material for a large portion of Vietnamese furniture), orchids, and
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Photos of various offices in the Spanish Embassy in Vietnam.
lotus flowers are some of the plant species most readily noted on any trip to the country. The Red and Mekong River deltas are the most populated areas, while the most agreeable climate is found on the central plateaus in the southern central region of the country. Vietnamese is the official language. However, many ethnic minorities living the mountainous regions of the country speak their own dialects and languages. Vietnamese is one of the few Asiatic languages that uses the Latin alphabet (Chinese characters were used until the beginning of the 20th century). Vietnam's climate is characterized by its variety. In the northern regions there are principally two seasons: A cool winter that lasts from the end of November to March, and a long, hot summer that lasts from April to November. The temperature is generally most pleasant during the months of October and November. In the southern regions, the temperature remains nearly constant throughout the year, although drastic changes can occur during monsoon season. Unlike the northern regions, the seasons here cannot be classified as winter and summer, but rather as dry and rainy. Typhoons, strong winds that can reach up to 200 km/h, are also a frequent occurrence in Vietnam, affecting principally the central region of the country.
“Vietnam is experiencing significant economic growth” a spaniard in vietnam
— Why choose Vietnam as a place to live and do business? — My first contacts with Vietnam Rufino Aybar, a were through Korean businesses. business owner My company has been one of the from Valencia, pioneers in Spain-Vietnam busicurrently resides ness, and my family and I have in Hanoi. He has lived here for over four years been doing businow. ness with Asian — What makes this country so countries for over special for a Spaniard? 14 years, and feels — Vietnam, and Southeast Asia in that there is true general, is experiencing significant harmony between economic growth--a trend that is exthe Spanish and pected to continue into the future. the Vietnamese. — How well do the Vietnamese
people and the Spanish colony get along? How do they perceive us? What is their opinion of us and of Spain? — The Vietnamese people and the Spanish colony generally get along very well. The Spanish colony has the full support of the Embassy and its Office of Economy and Trade, and if I may, I would like to thank the Embassy and especially the Ambassador for the kindness they have shown me personally. The Vietnamese people still know very little about Spain, but the few ideas they do have are posi-
tive; those who know a little more or have more information about our country hold it in very high esteem. — What sort of future, in your opinion, do Spanish-Vietnamese relations hold? Do you think they will grow? — Relations between the two countries are strong, and if the goodwill I have seen continues, relations could grow across the board, especially in business, which has been the most prosperous industry I have seen in the years I've lived here.
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VIEWPOINT
Soledad Fuentes
Spanish Ambassador to Vietnam
Spain and Vietnam: A Mutual Discovery ❖ The 30 years that have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Vietnam can be considered a period of mutual discovery for two nations separated by geographical distance and a poor understanding of one another. ❖ In such a short period of time, it is important to recognize the important strides that have been made as a result of significant efforts by both States, embodied in a variety of Agreements that will allow both countries to strengthen their mutual relations. Today a large number of economic agreements are now in force, which will serve to provide investment protection, prevent double taxation, and act as a protocol for export financing. Furthermore, framework agreements for development cooperation, cultural and scientific cooperation, and sports exchange are now in place. With regard to culture and awareness of the Spanish language, both countries have made agreements with their National Libraries and the Cervantes Institute has opened a Hall in Hanoi. ❖ The visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to Hanoi in February of last year at the head of an important political delegation and accompanied by nearly 40 representatives of large Spanish businesses allowed us to take stock of the progress made up to this point and establish the next goals to be met. Since our modest beginning in 1997, we have become one of the top 10 donors of Official Development Aid to Vietnam, with a total of 25 million dollars allocated for 2007. ❖ With regard to trade, Spain is
among the countries whose bilateral trade with Vietnam reaches about one billion dollars; in addition, Spain is also involved in the most important industrial project in the country: the construction of the Dung Quat refinery. With regard to upcoming goals, both administrations have agreed to initiate high-level Political Dialog in the near future, which will be enhanced by the formation of a Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Spain hopes to become an industrial partner that will help Vietnam reach industrialized status by the year 2020. ❖ Vietnam is progressively strengthening its international image and prospects. Its recent membership in the World Trade Organization and the "economic miracle" that has transformed it into the second fastest growing world economy and a model for the eradication of poverty have drawn the world's attention to this small country that, until now, had been engulfed by depression and known principally for its war-torn state. Spanish citizens are increasingly choosing Vietnam as a tourist destination, attracted by its historic heritage and the natural beauty that has led UNESCO to list five Vietnamese regions as World Heritage sites. The nearly 100 Spanish citizens residing in Vietnam, dedicated mostly to cooperation and business efforts, are, along with the tourists, the most enthusiastic promoters of Vietnam in Spain. I am convinced that Vietnam's participation in the Zaragoza
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World Expo next year will do much to strengthen relations between Vietnam and Spain. ❖ While it is important to recognize how much has been achieved in 30 years since diplomatic relations were established, both States are acutely aware of how much remains to be done, especially in light of the fact that Spain hopes to become an industrial partner that will help Vietnam reach industrialized status by the year 2020. Spain, as the world's tenth largest investor, must realize that with a population greater than that of Egypt or Canada, Vietnam offers an attractive internal market and could become a very advantageous base for the production of exports to the vast market of 1.7 billion inhabitants that will soon be opening in 2008--once the Free Trade Agreement between ASEAN and China enters into force. Spanish businesses whose interest lies simply in exportation to Vietnam itself must be aware that many of our supply industries are perfectly complemented with Vietnamese demand, as is the case for machinery and tools for the textile, furniture, and fishing industries, as well as chemical and pharmaceutical products. Our large engineering and construction firms will be presented with excellent opportunities, given Vietnam's significant lack of infrastructure; and our food and wine industry should make note of the fact that consumption of luxury goods is the fastest growing of all consumer goods groups. Spanish franchises that have already entered the market know how much the current situation in Vietnam can work in their favor, and I urge them to continue to become established. ❖ If there is any lesson that can be learned from our relations over the past three decades, it is that nothing can be achieved without continuous presence over time. Therefore I feel that we must take full advantage of the close, friendly relations that have been gradually forged, and become an evergrowing presence in Vietnam.
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One of the goals of "Foreign Perspectives" is to promote awareness of the activities of Spanish businesses operating throughout the world. In this issue, we cover a foods group that was started in Burgos in 1952 and currently has facilities in six countries on three continents--a prime example of the Spanish entrepreneurial spirit.
Campofrío A Spanish company with international influence TEXT: pepe bodas. PHOTOS: efe and campofrío
● Campofrío is an international, consumer-oriented foods and nutrition group that boasts investments in three continents and industrial facilities in six countries. Its products reach over 250 million consumers in over 40 countries around the world. The Campofrío Group has set its sights on
becoming a global company, and has shown significant qualitative and quantitative growth. It also takes full advantage of its cutting-edge technology. It has thus established a solid entrepreneurial base in the most important world markets--both those established in strong, consolidated economies as well as those experiencing high levels of rapid development.
Campofrío is the leading market brand in meat products, and its success is based on its continual commitment to providing consumers with products that meet the nutritional needs of their individual lifestyles: it strives for guaranteed quality and flavor to ensure healthy products that allow consumers to savor every bite. Thus the Campofrío Group has adopted its healthy life
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Spanish Members Navidul Extremadura 47.4% Jamones Burgaleses S.A. 40% La Montanera S.A. 100% Navidul Cogeneración S.A. 35% Members Elsewhere in the EU Campofrío Portugal S.A. 100% S.C. Tabco Campofrío S.A. (Romania) 97.9% Members in Eastern Europe Campomos (Russia) 100%
● From Burgos to Moscow to Bucharest. Campofrío was founded in Burgos in 1952. Eight years later, its decision-
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Photos of one of Campofrío's Russian production centers showing the factory's canning, slicing, and packaging lines. Campofrío was a pioneer in its desire to work in the Russian market. Left, His Majesty King Juan Carlos visits the sausage factory just outside of Moscow in 1997.
CAMPOFRÍO GROUP MEMBERS AND THEIR SHARES
philosophy as part of a lifestyle that reflects the company's own keys to success: the continual search for healthy products that will provide maximum consumer satisfaction and ensure the highest quality of life. The healthy life philosophy adopted by Campofrío is symbolic of its basic values, which include confidence and innovation to continually provide products that match worldwide dietary trends leading to a higher quality of life.
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makers decided to diversify production and focus on meat products, which would eventually lead to the industrial expansion of the company in the '80s and its initial public offering in 1988. Internationalization of the Campofrío group began in 1990 with the opening of a plant in Moscow. Four years later, a second plant was opened in the Russian capital. Beginning in 1997, sales and acquisitions by the company began to increase significantly. Thus, while US company Hormel Foods acquired 21% of Campofrío's shares, between 1998 and 1999, the Spanish group acquired the Montagne Noire (France), Fricarnes
(Portugal), Morliny (Poland), and Tabco (Romania) companies. Then in the year 2000, Campofrío acquired two of the largest companies in the industry: Oscar Mayer and Navidul. Its market capitalization and its latest revaluations have made Campofrío an important player in the Spanish foods industry. Currently, the Campofrío Group-faced with competition by European markets, including the Spanish market-is focusing on converting its Romanian affiliate Tabco into a supply center for the European markets and the driving force for the company, which is owned by brothers Pedro and Fernando Ballvé.
ADVERTISING
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VIEWPOINT
Pedro Ballvé
president of the campofrío group
Brand Name Value: The Key to Success ❖ Campofrío Group is not only a leading company in the Spanish food industry, but also has a strong international focus that has been a driving force in the company's growth and development for many years. In fact, it was during the '90s that the first steps in this direction were made, through internationalization that forced us to find answers to questions regarding both product exportation and the management of factories in foreign markets.
Russian affiliate Campomos was founded in 1990 and quickly established itself as one of the top operations facilities in the Russian market
operations facilities. Today, Campomos remains at the forefront in many aspects of production and offers clear opportunities for expansion. In fact, our brand is the second most widely recognized in this market, one of the largest worldwide, that is growing at a rate far exceeding that of Spain. ❖ Continuing its ef forts in Eastern Europe, Campofrío decided to enter Romania in 1998. Our Romanian affiliate, Tabco, has taken full advantage of the rapid development of modern distribution to remain a leader in the industry. It currently holds a market share of 7%. In this regard, Tabco also holds the keys to the future export interests of the Group, including exportation of both Spanish products to Romania and Romanian products to other European Union countries.
❖ It was precisely in the year 1990 that Campofrío decided to extend its business to other European countries, which is the reason it established distribution companies to facilitate access to new markets through exportation. Over 15 years later, the Group's export division has seen exponential growth--for example, 15% growth in volume and value in the last accounting period alone. At the same time, this division contributes to the profitability of Campofrío's international section, which in 2006 led the market at 21% of meat product exports from Spain to foreign countries.
❖ In addition to the regions mentioned above, Southern Europe also represents a strategic area for Campofrío. Our success in this area naturally begins at home, with a Spanish market share of 18%, and has been strengthened by the Portuguese market since 1999, when Campofrío entered Portugal with the acquisition of Fricarnes. Today, Campofrío Portugal is the second largest operation of its kind in Portugal and has achieved a market share of 9%. As with all our affiliates, its brand name enjoys wide recognition throughout the country.
❖ Flushed with the success of the export division, that same year, 1990, the company founded its Russian affiliate, Campomos, which quickly became one of the Russian Federation's top
❖ A lot of time has passed since 1990 and the internationalization of Campofrío has become a reality. A reality that has seen its share of mistakes and market withdrawals, but also a
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reality that has taught us, as it does all internationally-focused companies, to learn from our mistakes and move on with greater confidence toward even higher goals. ❖ The result for Campofrío has been the creation of a European benchmark company, with factories in Portugal, Romania, and Russia, as well as in Spain, and the establishment of a strong, globalized Group with a brand name that is recognized and esteemed by the more than 250 million people in over 40 different countries who place their confidence in our products every day. ❖ A company's success in internationalization is, in part, defined precisely by its ability to create a well-known brand name and achieve consumer confidence. In the final analysis, it is the consumers--the mar-
We are working to become a renowned, benchmark European company through the continued innovation and diversification of our products. ket itself--who determine the international reputation of a business; it is the consumers who esteem and applaud a company's strengths and abilities, its innovation and development efforts, its marketing strategies, its investments; and it is most certainly the consumers who make a company's leap to the international market economically feasible--a leap that, for an industry leader like Campofrío, was, in 1990, both a requirement and a necessity. But most of all, it has been a challenge that was definitely worth the effort, and it is because of this effort that today we are working to become a renowned, benchmark European company through the continued innovation and diversification of our products, which are designed to help improve the quality of life and health of the consumers who choose our brand.
discover spain TEXT: jAVIER hernandez. PHOTOS: efe and tourspain
● From the Canary Islands to its border at the Pyrenees, Spain boasts numerous ecological niches that are home to flora, fauna, and geomorphological features found only in these unique areas--areas that are representative of Spain's ecological heritage and that must be protected and preserved. In 1916, the first National Park Law was approved, making Spain a European pioneer in the preservation of its most important natural spaces. Nearly 100 years later and after several legislative reforms and modifications to the definition and objectives of these areas, Spain continues its careful, meticulous stewardship of these precious ecological marvels. There are currently 14 National Parks, and even though they occupy only 0.6% of the country’s total land area, they have become the crown jewels of Spain’s ecological heritage, as demonstrated by the more than 20 million guests welcomed by the National Parks every year. The Natural Parks cover a respectable 3 million hectares and exceed 120 million visitors yearly. The Autonomous Community of Andalucía is home to the largest number of Natural Parks (24 of 120) and the 11 parks in Cataluña receive the largest number of visitors each year. The Canary Islands hold the largest number of National Parks, including the Teide, Timanfaya, Garajonay, and Caldera de Taburiente National Parks. Of these, Teide National Park is also the most frequently visited in the country--a statistic further accentuated by the large number of tourists visiting the island itself. In addition to recognition by the Spanish State, many of Spain’s National Parks also enjoy recognition and protection by
The breathtaking variety of landscapes, flora, fauna, and geological artifacts found in Spain is clearly reflected in the 14 unique areas that make up the National Park Network. Prized for their variety and tremendous ecological wealth, these areas are the crown jewels of an unparalleled natural heritage that has been carefully protected and nurtured since 1916, when Spain became the first country in the world to enact specific laws ensuring the protection of these areas.
Spain's Ecological Heritage prominent organizations such as UNESCO and the European Council. Of these, Doñana National Park is the most noteworthy. This natural treasure has been named a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is listed as a RAMSAR Site. The park has also been awarded the European Charter by the EUROPARC Federation and the European Diploma by the European Council. This wide array of awards and recognition places the Doñana National Park in a class by itself.
● National and Natural Parks. National Parks receive the highest level of protection, followed by Natural Parks. The two types of parks differ fundamentally in terms of management. The use and care
of Natural Parks is handled by the Autonomous Community in which they are located, through the Environmental Council of that Community. Since the year 2004, National Parks have also been placed under the direct authority of the Autonomous Communities in which they are located, but the National Government retains indirect control through the Environmental Ministry. However, aside from the obvious administrative differences, there are other differences more closely related to the nature of these important ecological reserves. Even though both types of parks have been designated as protected areas based on the uniqueness and significance of the flora, fauna, and geomorphological features found within them, National Parks
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are less developed and must be based on a national interest in their preservation and promotion. Natural Parks focus on the protection and conservation of sites of ecological value for specific Autonomous Communities, and are therefore of greater local interest. In addition to National and Natural Parks, each Autonomous Community may, within its own borders, establish natural areas with varying levels of protection and designated uses. Thus, an Autonomous Administration may designate regional or rural parks, protected natural monuments, natural areas of special interest, sites of scientific interest, natural reserves, and protected regions, all of which are designed to protect the ecological heritage of each Community.
● Nearly 100 Years of History. The 100th anniversary of the enactment of the first law regulating the establishment of National Parks in Spain--a pioneering text for its time--is less than nine years away. Many things have changed between that first regulatory text, which simply covered the aesthetic and scenic aspects of the Parks, and the most recent Law governing the National Park Network, which was approved this year and places the responsibility for managing these protected areas upon the corresponding Autonomous Communities. However, while Park operation regulations may be improved and adapted over time in order to meet changing needs, the fundamental purpose of the National Park Network will remain unchanged. At the heart of its regulations is the need to ensure the conservation of these natural areas, to harmonize conservation with use and enjoyment by the public, and finally, to make continual contributions to research and the growth of scientific understanding.
Spain: Third in the Number of Biosphere Reserves ● Spain's ecological wealth is also reflected in the number of Biosphere Reserves found in the country--a total of 37, distributed among 14 Autonomous Communities, making Spain's biodiversity the richest and best conserved of any European country. Currently, Spain ranks third in the number of areas protected at this level by UNESCO, after the United States and Russia. Spain's importance in the Biosphere Reserve
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program has made it host of the third World Biosphere Reserves Congress to be held in Madrid in February of next year. This congress will examine issues such as sustainable development, human migration, and the economic viability of ecological protection systems. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which consists of a total of 507 areas distributed among 102 countries, was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Concord in 2001, for its status as "a symbol of man's efforts to preserve unique natural spaces and populations--the heritage of all humanity."
El Hierro Island, The First Green Energy Territory in the World ● All 278 square kilometers of the Canary Island of El Hierro are recognized worldwide as a Biosphere Reserve. The island's unique orography and 10,000 inhabitants have become a model of sustainable growth, where progress and nature conservation go hand in hand. Proof of this are the efforts being made to turn this area into the first territory in the world sustained completely by green energy. It will become a veritable laboratory of energy conservation, where the demand for power will be filled by clean energy sources. The construction of a hydroeolic plant projected to begin operation within two years will provide an energy
savings of nearly 2 million euros annually, in addition to preventing the emission of 18,700 tons of CO2, one of the principal causes of the greenhouse effect, into the atmosphere every year. The cost of this hydroeolic plant is in excess of 54 million euros, of which 60% will be provided by the Ministry of Industry, through the Institute for Energy Savings and Diversification.
The Picos de Europa National Park, formerly known as Montañas de Covadonga, will celebrate its 90th anniversary as the first protected area in Spain next year.
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The 14 National Parks-Jewels of Conservation picos de europa Established: 1918. Area: 64,660 Ha. Located 20 kilometers from the Cantábrica Coast and designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2002, the Picos de Europa National Park is the oldest of the 14 existing National Parks. It is made up of three imposing mountain masses: the Western Mass or Macizo de Cornión, the Central Mass or Macizo de los Urrielles, and the Eastern Mass or Macizo de Andarra. Its principal tourist attractions include the Covadonga Lakes, the Sella and Cares rivers, and numerous lookouts. Its forests boast a wide variety of trees (beech, oak, hazel, maple, walnut) and animals (roe deer, wolves, bears, and wood grouse). Ordesa y Monte Perdido Established: 1918. Area: 15,608 Ha. The combined Mediterranean and Atlantic influences of this high mountain area create optimum conditions for rich and diverse flora and fauna. Monte Perdido Mountain, at an altitude of 3,335 meters, and the glacier that caps it are the dominating features of this National Park. This area is characterized by contrasting landscapes produced by its high elevation and sheer cliffs. Teide Established: 1954. Area: 18,990 Ha. Teide Mountain is the largest volcano in Spain and the area surrounding the mountain itself, its volcanic cones, and its lava flows is home to a wide variety of flowers of great biological importance, including many species classified as endemic to the Canary Islands (echium wildpretii, bencomia exstipulata, etc.).
With regard to fauna, the large number of invertebrates inhabiting the area merit special mention, including more than 700 classified species of insects, over half of which are endemic to the region. Caldera de Taburiente Established: 1954. Area: 4,690 Ha. The Taburiente Caldera is a magnificent basin measuring nearly 2,000 meters deep, making it one of the largest of its type in the world. It is erosive in origin and is surrounded by a circle of summits measuring eight kilometers in diameter. The steep landscape is the Park's main attraction, but it is also home to some endemic species, including the Canarian Pine. Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici Established: 1955. Area: 10,230 Ha. This Park, located high in the Pyrenees Mountains, is distinguished by a single element: water. Over 200 lakes can be found within its boundaries, and the beauty of its torrents, rivers, and waterfalls is complemented by spectacularly lush forests, which are home to numerous alpine species. The natural beauty of this region is further enhanced by the Romanesque Churches of Vall de Boí, which are found within the Park itself and have been listed as a World Heritage Site. Doñana Established: 1969. Area: 50,720 Ha. The wide range of ecosystems found within this park--salt marshes, shifting dunes, and stabilized dunes (known as "cotos" in Spanish)--provides support for an amazing variety of animal and plant life. The Iberian lynx is the most important species in the Park. It is a critically endangered species and significant efforts have been made to ensure its reproduction. This area also plays an important role in the migration of several species of birds between Africa and Europe. It was named a Biosphere Reserve in 1980.
Las Tablas de Daimiel Established: 1973. Area: 1,928 Ha. The Tablas de Daimiel wetlands were formed by overflows at the confluence of the Guadiana and Cigüela rivers. This key region is used by many species of birds and other animals as a migratory stopover or a nesting ground. Many species of plants, mostly aquatic plants, can be found here. The Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands are the best example of a wetland ecosystem in Spain. Timanfaya Established: 1974. Area: 5,107 Ha. Timanfaya National Park is a land of volcanoes and solidified lava fields. Its lunar landscape has given rise to two unique ecosystems: a land ecosystem and a marine ecosystem. Numerous species have been forced to adapt in order to survive the natural conditions created by this unique environment. The region's inhabitants have also learned to adapt to the land's peculiar characteristics, and have developed agricultural methods that harmonize perfectly with the geology of the island of Lanzarote.
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Garajonay Established: 1981. Area: 3,984 Ha. This Park is not dominated by volcanic landscapes, as are the other Canary Island Parks, and its main attraction is its laurisilva forest. Almost perpetually enshrouded in fog, the Park boasts a wide variety of beautiful, lush vegetation that thrives in the humid environment, including the tree heath, the strawberry tree, and what is known as the "mocán" tree (visnea mocanera). Notable animal species include the Gomera lizard, the Gomera skink, and the Mediterranean tree frog Archipiélago de La Cabrera Established: 1991. Area: 10,021 Ha. The Archipiélago de la Cabrera Land and Marine National Park consists of La Cabrera Island, six other minor islands, and a dozen small islets, all calcareous. Its rich marine ecosystem is one of its principal attractions and also supports a large number of marine animal species. Just one hour from Mallorca by boat, its ocean floor is one of the best conserved along the entire Spanish coastline.
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Cabañeros Established: 1995. Area: 40,856 Ha. This unique National Park is esteemed principally for its endemic fauna. It is also home to large mammals such as the roe deer, the red deer, and the wild boar and to a large number of birds such as the golden eagle, the black vulture, and the Spanish imperial eagle. Beautiful scenery also abounds at Cabañeros National Park, with its forest-covered mountainsides and Mediterranean matorral. Sierra Nevada Established: 1999. Area: 80,208 Ha. The beauty and heritage of the Andalusian province of Granada is clearly apparent in Sierra Nevada National Park. This Park is home to El Mulhacén and La Veleta--the highest peaks on the Peninsula, which are exceeded only by the Teide volcano on the Canary Islands. Its rich hydrologic reserves feed important medicinal mineral water sources. This Park is known for several endemic local plants. Its well-known ski resort is located in the heart of the Park.
Islas Atlánticas de Galicia Established: 2002. Area: 8,000 Ha. This restricted access park is located in the province of Pontevedra, in the heart of Rías Baixas. It is home to some of the largest colonies of marine birds anywhere along the Spanish coastline, including significant colonies of Caspian gulls and shags. Its seabed is rich in algae, mollusks, and crustaceans. Monfragüe Established: 2007. Area: 17,852 Ha. The province of Cáceres is home to the newest of the National Parks. Monfragüe National Park is well-known for its magnificent colonies of black vultures (with 200 pairs, it is the largest in the world) and imperial eagles--the largest colonies in the world. It is one of the few habitats on the Peninsula where the Iberian lynx is known to survive. The Park is also highly esteemed for its wide range of ecosystems, including plains, Mediterranean forests, and rocky outcroppings.
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culture and society TEXT: jAVIER hernandez. PHOTOS : efe archives
● Esteemed by some as the city of poets, viewed by others as a sleepy village tucked away in eastern Castile, Soria has been extolled by some of the most touching verses in Spanish poetry. A myriad of men and women of letters have sung of the simple beauty of its landscapes, its alcoves, the surrounding countryside and its people. Perhaps the most notable of these are Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (who married a woman from Soria), Gerardo Diego (who worked at the same Institute as Machado), Dionisio Ridruejo, and especially Antonio Machado. But if ever a poet has found inspiration in a city, and if ever a city has revered its poet, no ties can be stronger than those binding Soria and Antonio Machado. Machado was born in the Palacio de Dueñas (today the residence of the Duchess of Alba) in Seville on July 26, 1875 to a liberal family. He studied at the Francisco Giner de los Ríos Free Institute of Learning and in Paris, where he rubbed shoulders with other leading intellectuals of the day such as Rubén Darío and Juan Ramón Jiménez. ● His first teaching assignment took him to Soria on May 4, 1907, after passing the French professorship examinations at the Castilian city's only institution of higher learning. This date marks the beginning of an idyllic relationship between the poet from Sevilla and his new Castilian home—a relationship that would inspire some of the most beautiful pages in Spanish literature. It also marks the beginning of five intense years during which Machado would find love embodied in Leonor. Fortune favored the poet when he took his first lodgings in a modest guest house on El Collado street, near the city center. There he met Leonor, a friend of
Antonio Machado came to Soria in 1907 to work as a professor of French. There he found love and the inspiration for some of the most prodigious works of Spanish poetry. These five intense years in the city became the defining point of the Sevillian poet's life and work—it was here where his poetry developed its greatest simplicity and unique lyricism. Soria, enchanted by Machado's poetry, has decided to take advantage of this centennial year to pay tribute to Machado. A wide range of activities has been planned to commemorate the poet who, 100 years ago, portrayed the city so beautifully and immortalized the hidden corners of a romantic land and its people.
the owners, whom he married two years later. It was not an easy relationship, as the poet confessed many years later. The strict moral code of early 19th century Soria was highly critical of a marriage between a 34-year-old man and a girl of 15. The poet's mother, Ana Ruiz (who would accompany him even to his death bed), acted as the matron of honor. The poet's years in the city on the banks of the Duero River were among the most prolific years of his career, and it was here that he created some of his most impressive work: ‘Campos de Soria’, ‘A un olmo seco’, etc. inspired greatly by the surrounding landscape. Machado strongly rejected baroque elements in his poetry and thus produced works of extreme simplicity, characterized by their directness, simplicity, unpretentiousness, and especially their humanness. He had a rare gift for transforming reality into a never-ending wellspring of beauty. In 1911, during a brief stay in Paris, Leonor fell gravely ill and, upon the advice of her doctors, the couple returned to Spain and the pure air of Soria. In spite of all Machado's efforts and longing, she died of tuberculosis just one year later.
Soria Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Arrival of
Antonio M
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Her death would imbue Machado's work with melancholy for the rest of his life, and Soria would become a deeply rooted memory. His work ‘Campos de Castilla’ is a faithful reflection of that melancholy and longing. In it Machado observes and, as if with the detailed, elegant brushstrokes of the finest painter, beautifully portrays the lands and peoples of Castilla. His widowhood plunged him into such despair that he asked to be transferred to Baeza, among the olive groves of Jaén, where he would live with his mother and dedicate himself completely to study and teaching. Seven years later he moved to Segovia. There he would find love once more, this time in a secret, platonic relationship with a married woman—poet Pilar Valderrama, who is disguised under the name Guiomar in Machado's poetry. In the meantime, Antonio Machado had become an icon of Spanish literature, and Soria decided to pay tribute to the great poet. On October 15, 1932, at the San Saturio hermitage, his favorite resting spot on his walks along the banks of the Duero River, the citizens of Soria showed their affection for the poet by naming him the city's adopted son. He would never return to Soria. Spain had begun to tremble under the threat of Civil War.
● Sympathetic to the republican cause, and a staunch defender of the Manuel Azaña's party, of which he was a member, Machado, like so many other intellectuals of his generation, suffered greatly during the convulsive period leading up to the Civil War. As the struggle began to spread throughout Spain, it severed his last ties with love, as Guiomar fled to Lisbon and Machado was taken to the 'Villa Amparo' mansion just outside of Valencia. They would never see each other again. The developments of the war took
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(...) El Duero cruza el corazón de roble de Iberia y de Castilla. ¡Oh, tierra triste y noble, la de los altos llanos y yermos y roquedas, de campos sin arados, regatos ni arboledas; decrépitas ciudades, caminos sin mesones, y atónitos palurdos sin danzas ni canciones que aún van, abandonando el mortecino hogar, como tus largos ríos, Castilla, hacia la mar! (...) Orillas del Duero Al olmo viejo, hendido por el rayo y en su mitad podrido, con las lluvias de abril y el sol de mayo algunas hojas verdes le han salido (...) A un olmo seco
Above, Machado poses beside his wife Leonor in a photograph of their stay in the capital of Castile. Below, he thanks the citizens of Soria for their affection during a tribute rendered to him in 1932.
him to Barcelona and finally to a refugee camp on the French border, where he was left to his own devices. Intervention by the French government and the Spanish Embassy in Paris moved him to a modest hotel in Collioure, near the border on the shores of the Mediterranean. Here his health began to gradually decline, although he stated otherwise in a letter to the secretary of the Embassy in Paris, Luis Álvarez Santullano. On February 22, 1939, Ash Wednesday, at three-thirty in the afternoon Machado passed away on his bed, in the same room as his dying mother, who would pass away three days later. His strictly civil burial would be led by a funeral procession made up of several diplomatic representatives from the French Republic, as well as members of the Generalitat.
(...) Estos chopos del río, que acompañan con el sonido de las hojas secas el son del agua, cuando el viento sopla, tienen en sus cortezas grabadas iniciales que son nombres de enamorados, cifras que son fechas. ¡Álamos del amor que ayer tuvisteis de ruiseñores vuestras ramas llenas; álamos que seréis mañana liras del viento perfumado en primavera; (...) Campos de Soria
Machado
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4th international conference on the spanish language ● culture and society
TEXT: pepe bodas.
● As a prelude to the event, the city of Medellín organized the 13th Congress of the Association of Spanish Language Academies, where the new Spanish Language Grammar, which has been the focus of a major effort over the past few years and which will replace the 1931 grammar, was approved. According to Víctor García de la Concha, director of the Spanish Academy, “the new grammar is both descriptive and normative; it covers the Spanish language in its entirety, and emphasizes equality in the worldwide use of the language". Two editions of the new grammar, which will be published at the beginning of 2008 as the Medellín Grammar, will be released: a longer version totaling 2,000 pages, intended for Spanish-language professors and researchers, and a shorter, 500-page version intended for Spanish speakers all over the world. The Medellín conference also introduced the Essential Dictionary of the Spanish Language, which reduces the 90,000 entries of the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary to 54,000, of which 12% are Americanisms. ● A Tribute to Gabriel García Márquez. If Medellín represents the workbench for the Spanish language, it was the in Caribbean atmosphere of Cartagena de Indias where the celebration of the Spanish language truly began. The festivities
the journey of language ✒ “I came to Comala because
I heard my father lived here— a guy named Pedro Páramo.” This famous line, which could be clearly seen from the bus window as we entered the city from the south, was emblazoned in black-painted cursive lettering on a whitewashed wall, which seemed to shine as brightly as the literary aura
The 4th International Congress on the Spanish Language, held in Cartagena de Indias, stated unequivocally that the Spanish Language is the common thread linking all of Iberoamerica. The Congress, a multi-faceted tribute to Gabriel García Márquez, was closed by the director of the Cervantes Institute.
Spanish, a universal language of communication commenced with a great tribute to Gabriel García Márquez in a year of significant milestones for the acclaimed writer: his 80th birthday, 60 years since the publication of his first story, the 40th anniversary of One Hundred Years of Solitude, and 25 years since he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Guests to this highly dignified and social event included the King and Queen of Spain, the President and First
Lady of Colombia and Panama, former US President Bill Clinton, and several former Latin American Presidents, scholars, and writers. Colombian President Álvaro Uribe called García Márquez a “master architect of the language” and a “symbol of unification of the Spanish language".
● The Congress of the Language. Throughout the sessions, several influen-
a note by D. ALBERTO GARCÍA FERRER. Secretary General of the Ibero-american Educational Television Association (ATE surrounding the village. The Betancur had announced, in state of Jalisco—is home to road to the right, leading to reference to the 4th Congress that imaginary village lying “on Madrid, had long been left on the Spanish Language: the burning coals of the earth, behind, and the towering Vol“Every language has its just beyond the gaping jaws cán de Fuego de Colima, the history and its geography. of hell”. Just a shadow of a most active volcano in Mexico, The Spanish language is a doubt, as Cuban writer Virgilio rose majestically in front of journey…” Piñera would have said, as we us, beckoning us onward. “As ✒ Seated in the shade of imagined the American reacyou walk through Comala, you the archways facing the tion to the writing on the walls can practically read the novel main square, my friend of the European continent. Pedro Páramo from wall to explained to me that doubt, ✒ Line by line and wall by wall wall”, my travel companion and geographic dispute, still we began to make our way informed me. remained regarding which down Santa Marta and Río ✒ A few days earlier in Comala—Comala, in the state Hacha streets when my archCartagena de Indias, Belisario of Colima or Comala, in the way companion reminded me
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4th international conference on the spanish language ● culture and society
Their Majesties the King and Queen chat with Gabriel García Márquez. PHOTO COURTESY THE PRESIDENCY OF COLOMBIA.
Víctor García de la Concha: “We speak an extradinarily solid, consistent language, which contributes enormously to its expansion”
tial individuals from both Spain and Latin America spoke of the Spanish language as a unifying force among the nations of Ibero-america. Topics discussed during the session moderated by former President Belisario Betancur included how the Spanish language can help forge an Iberoamerican identity, why cultural industry is vital to the growth of the GDP, and how migration leads to both growth in national
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economies and expansion of the language itself. Enrique Iglesias, Secretary General for Ibero-america, expressed his desire that the countries of Ibero-america create policies that will act as international beacons, helping to coordinate the promotion and realization of scientific and cultural innovation throughout the world. Former President Julio María Sanguinetti, on the other hand, described the language as the result of a long period of construction, of which we are all heirs. “The Spanish language as such," he said, "was necessarily born of integration—it is the child of globalization. It left Spain, crossed the Atlantic to America, and landed in the Philippines”. The Congress concluded with the affirmation that the Spanish language has become a language of universal communication and a symbol of Ibero-american identity. “We speak an extraordinarily solid, consistent language, which contributes enormously to its expansion” stated Víctor García de la Concha during the closing ceremony. César Antonio Molina, Director of the Cervantes Institute, said that “the continued celebration of such congresses as these is the most solid proof of its success” and added such congresses “should help us rediscover our pride and common identity”. “There is no language or culture that can rise above ours. There never was, there is not now, and there never will be”, he declared. The 5th International Congress on the Spanish Language will be held in Chile in 2010.
ATEI) of that brilliant observation: in the end all great texts are simply manifestations of a single text. Mexican author Carlos Fuentes had a similar concept in mind when, in the same forum as the former Colombian president, he stated: "...Every great Latin American novel frees us just a little more; it allows us to define ourselves through the exaltation of our own land, to deepen the creation of the language in the fraternal awareness that other
writers in Spanish are reinforcing your own vision—talking with you..." And Gabriel García Márquez, in the same forum as Fuentes and with that unassuming elegance that holds so many lessons for all of us, revealed yet another key to that journey: “I have seen nothing more than my two index fingers tapping, one by one and in perfect time, the 28 letters of the old Spanish alphabet that has remained spread out before me for
seventy-something years.” ✒ Regarding the novel Pedro Páramo, Juan Rulfo himself stated: “...The entire novel can be reduced to a single question: Where does the force that causes our misery reside?...” In answer to Rulfo—and to all of us as well—García Márquez could well reply, from the writing on some wall of the Argentine "Museum of the End of the World", in the far southern city of Ushuaia—literally at
the End of the Earth: “… as it had been foreseen that the city of mirrors (or of mirages) would be ravaged by the winds and rooted from the memory of man at the very moment Aureliano Babilonia had deciphered the last of the parchments, and everything written upon them would remain forever unspoken, because the generations condemned to one hundred years of solitude would not be granted a second chance on earth.”
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The new wing, alongside the Los Jerónimos Church in Madrid. Below, glass-covered spaces designed to illuminate every corner of the new wing.
A Prado Museum for the 21st Century Acclaimed architect Rafael Moneo signs the new wing of Spain's finest art gallery, considerably increasing the museum's available space and fully modernizing its facilities. TEXT: miradas al exterior. PHOTOS COURTESY: efe
● More than five years and 152 million Euros have been invested in the work of architect Rafael Moneo to expand the Prado Museum space by more than fifty percent. This was announced in late April by the Minister of Culture, Carmen Calvo, to the Royal Patronage of the National Prado Museum, in a singular and extraordinary plenary meeting. This has been the most ambitious expansion project in the art gallery's nearly 200 years of existence, and the first time construction has extended outside the museum's historical boundaries. The project, which was planned and directed by architect Rafael Moneo and funded by the Ministry of Culture, added 15,715 square meters of usable space to the Prado Museum itself, in addition to the 28,600 square meters available
in the Paseo del Prado building, and also provided the museum with the facilities, space, and services necessary to meet its 21st century needs. The new Prado Museum has 1,386 square meters of temporary exhibit space divided into four halls; an offset cloister area, planned for use as a sculpture exhibition hall; an 438-person capacity auditorium; a large reception
and visitor information area; a larger and better-equipped artwork delivery area, with a spacious loading and unloading dock; exemplary artwork restoration and technical study areas; a new bookstore/gift shop; a new café/restaurant; etc. The complexity of the Prado Museum expansion project also affected the nearby arch structure of the Los Jerónimos Cloister, which had to be dismantled, the numbered stones sent to the Historic Spanish Heritage Institute for restoration, and rebuilt. A second layer of textured, colored concrete has been placed around the Cloister. The exterior faces of the building are covered with Madrid granite, brick, and weathered bronze. The interior is also adorned with granite, oak timbers, and natural bronze. Glass, the medium for transmitting the natural light that so characterizes the work of Rafael Moneo, also plays a prominent role in the expansion, as does the monumental bronze door created by sculptor Cristina Iglesias. Leading up to Cristina Iglesias' so-called "plant tapestry" is a parterre containing nearly 9,000 individual dwarf box plants imported from Tuscany. The Ministry of Culture has been praised by the Greenpeace organization for its use of ecologically-friendly wood in 90% of the construction works.
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The Spanish Cultural Center in Mexico: A Cultural Reference Point
Luis Gordillo, Winner of the Velázquez Visual Arts Prize
● Four years after the Spanish Cultural Center was opened in a restored colonial mansion in the historic center of Mexico City that once belonged to Hernán Cortés' steward, it is in the forefront of artistic life in the Aztec capital. This cultural space shines especially brightly among the 18 Spanish cultural centers scattered throughout Africa and America. Its director, Angeles Albert, credits its success to the rich interchange and mingling between Spanish and Mexican cultures. ◆ j.h.
● In recognition of his artistic career, renowned painter Luis Gordillo, from Sevilla, has been awarded the Velázquez Visual Arts Prize. This prize, which is awarded by the Ministry of Culture, consists of a cash prize of over 90,000 euro, an organized exhibit in the Queen Sophia Museum, and a grant to an artist under 35 of the winner's choice. The jury, presided by Ramón González de Amezúa, director of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts, unanimously chose the Andalusian artist as "one of the pioneers in the rediscovery of shape and color" and also for "introducing the language of international pop art into the Spanish artistic scene". This prize, which is intended to be the Velázquez prize for the visual arts, was established in 2002 and has been awarded to such distinguished artists as Antonio López, Antoni Tápies, and Juan Soriano.
The EU's Tool for Stopping the "Brain Drain" ● The European Union has created what is known as the European Research Council (ERC)—the signature committee of the Seventh Framework Program intended to strengthen basic research efforts in Europe. The council is headed by 22 prominent scientists under the direction of Fotis Kafatos, professor at the Imperial College in London. Part of its responsibilities include the "promotion of excellence in European research through the funding of projects in various fields of science, technology, and the humanities", and thus prevent a "brain drain". To do this, the new body will spend a total of 7.510 billion euro between 2007 and 2013 to finance cutting-edge studies and will be independently able to choose which projects it would like to sponsor. During this first year in operation, the ERC has already held two research aid competitions: The initial grants, intended to subsidize researchers with two to nine years postdoctoral experience, amount to nearly 150,000 euro each, while grants for advanced researchers will range between 100,000 to 500,000 Euros annually for a maximum of up to five years.
Madrid Exhibit: 'Maras: The Culture of Violence’ ● The Maras exhibit was displayed in the Casa de América exhibition hall in Madrid until May 27. Through 60 black-and-white photographs, Catalan photographer Isabel Muñoz revealed the disquieting faces of a culture of violence, trapped in the spider web of tattooed bodies. These photographs offered a glimpse of the violent lives of gang members, depicted in the form of dragons, birds, and religious images. This particular topic was closely linked to some of Isabel Muñoz's most well known images—those of Ethiopian tribespeople, who also rely on unique body adornment as a symbol of individual status. It was precisely this tribal characteristic that Isabel Muñoz saw in the Salvadorian Mara gangs—a language known only to those who form part of it. As a complement to the exhibit, a series of seminars discussing violence and the rise of gangs in El Salvador and other Central American countries was held, in an attempt to determine the social and economic conditions that lead to the formation of gang culture.
Spain hopes to boost the success of the ERC by providing support for centers where researchers selected by the body are currently working. According to recent statements by the Secretary of State for Universities and Research, Miguel Ángel Quintanilla, the Government will help these scientists obtain open-ended contracts and may also provide direct subsidies to institutions who hire them.
Gordillo at a recent exhibit. PHOTO EFE.
Pablo de Santis Awarded the Planeta-Casa de América Narrative Prize ● Argentine writer Pablo de Santis was awarded the first ever Planeta-Casa de América Narrative Prize for his novel "Enigma en París" (Enigma in Paris). With a $200,000 cash award, this prize is the largest Ibero-american literary award to date. Peruvian writer Alonso Cueto was chosen as the finalist for his novel "El susurro de la mujer Ballena"
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tions of short stories. He has been awarded the Wiracocha Prize for his novel "El tigre blanco" (The White Tiger), the German Anna Seghers Prize for his collected works, and the Guggenheim Foundation writers grant (2002). He currently resides in Lima.
A Look at Immigration through the Eyes of 200 Photographs Ramón Gandarias, who commissioned the exhibition, explains the details to the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, his Russian counterpart and the Director of the Cervantes Institute. PHOTO EFE.
Spain-Russia Photography Exhibit ● To mark the 30th Anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Russia, an exhibition was opened on April 18th in the Cervantes Institute, and attended by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, the Director of the Cervantes Institute,
(The Whisper of the Whale Woman). Awards for this new Planeta-Casa de América prize were presented during a literary festival in Bogotá, coinciding with its recognition as the World Book Capital for 2007. The jury consisted of writers Juan Gossaín, Eduardo Mendoza, and Juan Villoro, together with Miguel Barroso (CEO of Casa de América) and Gabriel Iriarte (Editorial Director for Planeta Colombia). 618 original works from 22 Latin American countries and Spain were submitted. Argentina, with 190 works, submitted the most entries.
César Antonio Molina, and the President of the Agency, Alex Grijelmo. The exhibition consists of a selection of photographs of political, artistic and historic significance that sum up the re-encounter and renewal of relations between the two countries that were interrupted by the Civil War. The images, provided by the Efe Agency and Itar Tass, mark events such as the first ambassadors presenting their credentials in 1977, various official visits and relevant events that took place in the worlds of the arts and sport. The exhibition was organized by the General Bureau of Foreign Communications.
"Enigma en París" is a story of criminal intrigue set in the French capital near the end of the 1890's, during the construction of the famous Eiffel Tower. "El susurro de la mujer ballena" tells of the friendship and reunion between two women. Pablo De Santis was born in Buenos Aires in 1963. His first novel, "El palacio de la noche" (The Night Palace) was published in 1987. His novel "La traducción" (The Translation) was chosen as a finalist for the 1997 Planet Prize. Alonso Cueto (Lima, 1954) is the author of 10 books, both novels and collec-
● During the month of May, the Canal de Isabel II Exhibit Hall, in Madrid, had on display a thought-provoking collection of photography titled "Madrid inmigrante. Seis visiones fotográficas sobre la inmigración en la Comunidad de Madrid” (Immigrant Madrid: Six Photographic Views of Immigration in the Community of Madrid). The exhibit provided an interesting documentary report consisting of 200 images from some of today's top photographers: Carl de Keyzer, Susan Meiselas, Donovan Wylie, Matías Costa, Cristina García Rodero, and Carlos Sanva. Through their lenses, these artists were able to capture a visual narrative of the various foreign resident communities in Madrid.
The Work of Antón Lamazares, in Budapest ● The State Corporation for Cultural Action Abroad, SEACEX, and Budapest's Kiscelli Museum have organized this exhibit, which will remain on display in the Hungarian museum until July 1. It contains 10 important large-format works created between 1990 and 2003 by Galician artist Antón Lamazares (Lalín, Pontevedra - 1954) using industrial paint, cardboard, and wood. Lamazares is one of Europe's most important contemporary painters. Antón Lazamares' work, which can be found in numerous national and international collections, takes painting in its most traditional sense and breaks out of those parameters to create a hybrid technique in which the base material for the painting is not hidden, but
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rather becomes an explicit part of the work. Cardboard, wood, and framing nails double as both artistic "tools" and artistic media. The completed works are certainly an ode to the materials that form the basis for so many things. In these creations, the artist has gathered a powerful collection of poetic images that will allow those who contemplate his work to find critical elements in the small, the minute, the lowly—in what normally goes unnoticed.
‘300% Spanish Design’, The Best in Spanish Design on Display in Shanghai ● Inaugurated on June 7 in the Shanghai Art Museum, the 300% Spanish Design exhibit is a show of the best of the last century's Spanish design in the form of chairs, lamps, and signs. The exhibit was organized by the State Corporation for Cultural Action Abroad (SEACEX) and produced by the State Corporation for International Exhibits (SEEI) in collaboration with the Spanish Ministries of Culture and of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Cervantes Institute, the Spanish Embassy in Peking, and the Shanghai Art Museum. The 300 items on display elegantly attest to Spain's rich contribution to creative world culture over the last 100 years. Commissioned by renowned architect and designer Juli Capella, the exhibit
Joan Miró's 'España' Poster. PHOTO SEACEX.
focuses on three areas of highly creative development in Spain to explore the innovative potential of Spanish design, namely: furniture, lighting, and graphic design. The collection is brilliant evidence of the breadth of Spain's influence on nearly every 20th century design trend, from modernism, rationalism and functionalism to organicism, postmodernism, and minimalism. It also offers a look at Spain's 21st century focus on innovation and quality design on a worldwide level. The chair exhibit contains works by renowned designers such as Gaudí, Sert, Moneo, Oscar Tusquets, and Jorge Pensi, among others. Lamps by Fortuny, Dalí, Coderch, Milà, Arola, and many others are on display in the lighting section. Finally, the graphic arts display contains a wide range of work from top artists such as Rafael de Penagos, Ramón Casas, Renau, Alberto Corazón, América Sánchez, Enric Satué, Peret, Mariscal, and others.
PhotoEspaña Celebrates Its Tenth Year ● A total of 67 exhibits representing 31 countries will be on display at this year's PHotoEspaña (PHE) Festival. The International Photography and Visual Arts Festival that started in 1998 has become one of the largest visual arts events in the world. The festival's activities and exhibits, which will be on display in Madrid's foremost art museums and galleries, have turned it into the largest and most popular cultural event held in Spain. Every year PHotoEspaña centers on a particular theme and divides its art and activities into an Official Section, which includes museums, institutions, and large exhibit halls and an Off Festival, involving art galleries and other venues. Exhibits provide an opportunity for specialists and the general public to observe the latest trends in photography and the visual arts. From May 30 to July 22, PHotoEspaña will be celebrating its tenth anniversary with an ambitious multi-exhibit program. The work of Bruce Davidson, Lynn Davis,
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Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado poses by his photograph "Refugees wait outside the Korem camp wrapped in blankets to protect themselves from the cold morning wind" (1984). PHOTO EFE.
and Sylvia Plachy will be on display in Madrid for the first time. In addition, the Festival has organized retrospectives of the work of Zhang Huan, Andrés Serrano, and Man Ray. Notable among the collective exhibits this year is an exhibit dedicated to Neorealism. The new face of Italy, 19321960, and Africa, with 55 large-format images taken by Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. In addition, the work of a new generation of young Spanish photographers will be on display at this year's PHE in collective exhibits entitled NOPHOTO and Cinco miradas europeas (Five European Views). Likewise, for this special tenth anniversary event, PHE will be venturing outside of Madrid with activities in Cuenca and across the border with exhibits in Paris' Le Jeu de Paume museum, with work by Pierre and Gilles, and at the Arles Festival, which will include a selection of works by Alberto García-Alix.
Gernika to Host Nagasaki's Annual Anti-Nuclear Exhibit ● The National Peace Center in Nagasaki has chosen the Basque city of Gernika to host its annual Nagasaki anti-nuclear exhibit from June 27 to September 9. This is only the third time the exhibit has left Japan, with previous displays in Chicago and Las Vegas. The photographs and objects that make up the exhibit offer a complete visual tour
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Desafío Español Makes History at the American’s Cup
The Desafío Español, during semifinals. PHOTO EFE.
of the devastation wrought by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War II. Gernika, which commemorates this year the 70th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War bombings, remains in close cooperation with the Japanese city—both vivid examples of the devastation of civil bombardment.
Spanish Books at the London Book Fair ● Over 50 Spanish publishers took part in the 36th annual London Book Fair, where Spain was the special guest for this year's event. Spain's presence at the Book Fair was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, and Spain's Publisher's Guild Federation. Notable activities included seminars with presentations by Spanish authors and a roundtable discussion among British and Spanish literary critics regarding literary supplements in newspapers.
● The 32nd American’s Cup, held in Valencia, brought the Desafío español (Spanish Challenge) its best finish ever in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world. After three previous competitions under the direction of Pedro Campos, in 1992 on the EspañaQuinto Centenario, in 1995 on the Rioja de España, and in 1999 on the Bravo España, the Desafío Español 2007 team reached an unprecedented level of success as they made the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals and beat the powerful New Zealand Team in two regattas. Agustín Zulueta, technical and sports managing director for the Spanish team recalled the origins of the project and stated that its goals "have all been reached". “We have" he said, "created a fan base and made this event possible”. Luis Doreste, sports director for the Spanish team stated: "My evaluations of the team have been
During the Fair, Spanish Minster of Culture, Carmen Calvo, inaugurated an exhibit entitled "Anglo-Hispana: Five Centuries of Authors, Publishers, and Readers between Spain and the United Kingdom”. The exhibit covered a large number of English and Spanish authors that had been translated and published in both countries and documented the relationship between Spanish and British printers and publishers. According to the Ministry of Culture, the London Book Fair provided "an excellent opportunity to introduce the best of contemporary Spanish literature, both upcoming and established writers, to millions of English-speaking readers."
Baltasar Porcel Receives Catalan Letters Honor Award ● Mallorcan writer Baltasar Porcel (Andratx, 1937) was awarded the 39th
fantastic—they have met all our goals: first by making it to the semifinals, and then by winning a regatta against New Zealand”. Finally, John Cutler recalled the technical difficulties that had arisen during the construction of the two boats. “We started off buying boats from the US OneWorld team; now we have two boats made in Valencia, which will be the perfect place for the next race”. The round robin qualification rounds were highly competitive, although the top teams progressively increased their chances as the days went by. Eleven teams took part in these preliminary races, and only four—among them the Desafío Español 2007 team—qualified to compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup. The winner—the Emirates Team New Zealand—will challenge the current champion, the Swiss Alinghi, in the 32nd American’s Cup, which runs from June 23 to July 7.
Catalan Letters Honor Award, which includes a 30,000 euro cash prize and is presented to those who "through literary or scientific work, written in Catalan, have made notable, continued contributions to the cultural life of the Catalan-speaking territories." The jury emphasized the "ambition, depth, and exceptional power" of Baltasar Porcel's literature, which it called "one of the great works of contemporary Catalan literature and one of the best introductions to Catalan letters outside of Spain". Following the public announcement of the jury's decision, Baltasar Porcel expressed his gratitude for the award and declared that "the life of a writer is not easy at all. It is complicated, and occasionally fraught with difficulties. But for me, language is where the soul dwells”. A writer's full justification, he added, is to be found in his readers, but "not necessarily readers en masse, but rather quality readers—those who participate in the work and recreate it as they read."
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o .. . in d e b t t -s alcedo la q u adra m ig u el de t) o u r n a l is g a r c ía (j o b o c ja y b ❖ Reser ved but effective, endowed with a deep intellect and profound human qualities, this man has held important positions in government, private enterprise, and non-profit organizations without leaving skeletons in the closet or a trail of enemies. ❖ Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo's American focus was born on October 1960, during the 1st Ibero-american Athletic Games, which were held in Chile. It was there that he bid farewell to competitive sports to become a professor of physical education, and later a tour guide on the Amazon River. Several months of his two-year stint with the Bogotá Museum of Anthropology were spent in the jungle, following in the footsteps of Spanish explorers and rubber prospectors through the vast, green expanses of the Amazon rain forest—a place where time stands still. ❖ Upon returning to Spain in 1963, the era of the discus and javelin throw for which he had been known by many had long since passed. That was when he began his career as an international journalist. In 1967, he became TVE's first Ibero-american correspondent and its first South American delegate. He now no longer had to suppress his inner desires because of his job, as both were pointing him in the same direction—something that very few people ever experience. He had become both a correspondent and a spokesman. In a sense, he had become a bridge spanning the distance between the two continents and carrying a continual flow of information, allowing him to be himself in both worlds. ❖ As his reputation grew, his identity became less of a problem, allowing him to feel more free and more at ease. This newly liberated demeanor even
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His work might seem easy, but it is not maybe in “Jauja” but not in the real world, where it is so difficult to get the necessary “Maravedis” for starting basic cultural programs
One Flew over the Quetzal's Nest
Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo created his first cultural exchange program for youth, it was 1985 and things were nothing like they are today. Government surveys made it painfully apparent that Spain's blatant lack of interest in the American continent would make the publication of such a program completely worthless. ❖ Twenty years would go by before Spain would decide to forge a path to economic and social development, before international cooperation, humanitarian causes, and volunteer work would become the rage in the developed world, and before mass emigration to Spain would become a possibility for the citizens of some American countries. But by then, the América-92 program had already been created, and the Aventura 92 and Ruta Quetzal programs would soon follow. Hundreds of youth from all over the world meet through these programs, establishing bonds that will last forever. ❖ And the sole benefit of these projects, which take dozens of youth from different countries on a journey through amazing parts of the world, especially the Spanish-speaking world, is that a former athlete turned journalist turned adventure host named Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo is about to become the man who did the most, after Christopher Columbus, to help us discover America.
A 1977 photograph of Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo as a TVE journalist, during the 'Francisco de Orellana' Expedition. PHOTO EFE.
affected his manner of dress—making him look like he had just walked out of a Robert Louis Stevenson novel. An interesting harbinger, but let us not get ahead of the story. Because when
❖ His role as the leader of these energetic, international groups of youth is to infuse what had formerly only been a textbook in black and white with living color: the living color of adventure. And while this adventure may not be a true sojourn in the wilderness, it does reach its goal of teaching the youth that others, as different as they may seem, are simply a reflection of us.
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cooperation The United Nations Development Program names the AECI's Workshop School Program initiative as one of the 'best development practices.'
Workshop Schools Ten years of development TEXT: ana llovet. PHOTOS: aeci
● Last April, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) named the work carried out for the past 10 years by the AECI Workshop School in Salvador de Bahía among the "50 best development practices" underway in Brazil, an honor that elevated this effort to the status of a world benchmark in the field of development cooperation. The Salvador Workshop School, which has trained 249 young people and contributed to the restoration of major structures in the city, was selected for its innovation, reproducibility, gender respect and equality, and local community involvement. This news highlights the work of the Workshop Schools within the AECI's Heritage Program for Development, a program with 30 centers located throughout Ibero-america that trains socially marginalized youth in traditional trades so that they can not only find a place in the labor market, but also collaborate in the preservation and restoration of their cultural heritage, thus contributing to social and cultural development. The link between occupational training and placement, and the preservation of heritage, is carried out in the Workshop School through a two-pronged approach that combines intervention of heritage assets and the preservation of traditional trades. Throughout its 16 years of existence in 13 Ibero-american countries, the 28 operating Workshop Schools have provided training to more than 10,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25. Plans are underway to increase the number of centers to 36 by the end of 2007. Some of these will be opened in North Africa, specifically in Morocco and Algeria.
Pottery students at the Mompox Workshop School.
Teaching at the Workshop Schools combines theory and practice and is targeted to students from the most disadvantaged social strata who lack other educational opportunities. The Workshop School and Trade Houses program began in Spain in 1985. Based on the excellent results achieved, the necessary arrangements were made in 1990 to apply the program in Ibero-america. The first Workshop School began operations on January 1, 1991 in León, Nicaragua. Since then, the schools have become well-established and broadly influential in their host countries. Funding by Spanish in-
stitutions during the 1991-2005 period exceeded 55 million euro, which was supplemented by the contribution of 20 million euro by local institutions. The educational methodology centers around the restoration of heritage assets, and combines theoretical teaching with on-site work training. From the very start, the student enjoys a scholarship and social benefits The personnel of the Ibero-american Workshop Schools is chosen through an open, public competitive process. The students come from the most socially and financially disadvantaged strata of society and have no other educational opportunities. In all cases, selection of both staff and students is carried out with the participation of the representatives of local institutions, as well as associations and institutions that have some relationship with the young person.
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The Euro-American Conference for Cultural Cooperation ● Organized by the OEI (Organization of Ibero-american States) and the Interarts Foundation in collaboration with the Cultideas Association and the city council of Almada, and with the support of the AECI, the Ministers of Culture of Spain and Portugal and the Lisbon Cultural Activities Watch Group, the Fifth Euro-American Conference for Cultural Cooperation was held in Almada, Portugal, bringing together more than 400 experts and professionals in the field. The purpose of the Conference was to promote, analyze and develop existing channels for cultural cooperation between the two continents and to open new areas for dialogue. Other goals were to promote knowledge transfer, exchange experiences, and create new, shared undertakings for creating new modes of direct and effective cooperation. The central themes of the various round-tables held at the Conference were intercultural cooperation and dialogue, cultural research and cooperation, networking and creative work, and diversity and development. In addition, a training program for development in the cultural field was presented--the ACERCA Program--, whose purpose is to support and promote processes for educating and training human resources in the cultural field as a contribution to development and collective welfare.
One of the works shown at the "10+ten".
years and that recognize the work of artists from El Salvador. This program confirms one of the objectives that the center has maintained from the start: to be a forum for Salvadoran culture and a space where the country's artists can express themselves and present their work. Last month's program closed with a Goya Prize cinema marathon, a lyric recital, and a cycle of conferences entitled "10 Years of Culture in El Salvador”.
The ‘La Sal' theater company on tour in Central America ● The La Sal Theater Company is planning a tour of Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Nicaragua from June 15 through July 15, where they will present the spectacle entitled “El Gran Traje” (The Big Suit), a work based on puppetry and
Tenth Anniversary of the El Salvador Cultural Center ● Spain's Cultural Center in El Salvador celebrated its tenth anniversary with a full range of activities. This well-established center, which has become a focus for cultural life in El Salvador and a meeting point for Central American artists, launched its commemorative activities last April with the "10 + ten" exposition. The exhibit is a historical overview of several of the expositions that have formed part of its program during the past ten
A scene from ‘El Gran Traje' (The Big Suit).
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aimed principally at young audiences. Workshops on how to build puppets with recycled materials will be presented in every city, with hands-on experience provided to the children who attend. There will also be workshops for teachers, actors, and the general public dealing with this unique form of expression. Julia Ruiz Carazo, founder and director of the La Sal Theater Company, hopes that this work will reflect the various stages of life and development, and that the young boys and girls will be able to relate the key moments of their own lives to the actions portrayed. With regard to language, Julia creates and defends a type of children's theater in which the characters "speak intelligently, understandably, but never 'dumbed-down'; in language that is fun, but not vulgar, and where children can also discover a world of poetry."
Spanish Volunteers in the United Nations ● On the seventh and eighth of May, the annual meeting of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and the United Nations Volunteers Program (UNVP) was held in Bonn, Germany, as a follow-up meeting to the 2007 Operating Plan. This meeting was also attended by prominent members of the UNVP who wished to interact with AECI decision-makers. The UNVP, with whom the AECI signed a framework agreement in July of 2005, is the volunteer arm of the United Nations and provides direct assistance to peace and development efforts in nearly 150 countries. The Program's goal is to promote the participation of volunteer Spanish professionals in the cooperative activities carried out by the United Nations' varied specialized agencies, organizations and funds. There are currently 82 Spanish United Nations volunteers (UNV) in the field, 20 of whom are funded by the AECI and 62 by the United Nations System. Of these, 80% state that their volunteer post "gives them a feeling of satisfaction with their personal and professional development." One of the issues discussed at the Bonn meeting was the status of the Span-
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ish-AECI program and the contribution that this organization makes to the United Nations Volunteer Program every year. Candidate preselection was also carried out for the ten posts to be funded this year.
Princess Cristina in Angola ● Her Royal Highness Doña Cristina de Borbón traveled to Angola in the latter part of April to visit the cooperation projects being funded in that country by the La Caixa Foundation for Social and Cultural Work. Doña Cristina de Borbón was received by the President of the Republic of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos. She also met with representatives of several Spanish NGOs that work in the country and visited cooperation projects that are being funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) in the Luanda, Malanje and Benguela provinces.
also participated in the event with its film “Muzuzangabo, el Despertador de los Demás” (Muzuzangabo, the One who Wakes the Others), funded by the AECI. This documentary portrays the reality of disease in Congolese communities: on the streets of Bukavu, in the schools, in military barracks and in the brothels. The monographic section on the "African Diaspora" centered on Africa's artistic, cultural, and philosophical influences in Brazil and on recent African immigration to Portugal. The festival's top prize, the Griot de Viento, was awarded to the film “Rêves de poussière”, a co-production of Burkina Fasso, Canada and France, directed by the Frenchman Laurent Salgues.
Fourth Festival of African Cinema Held in Tarifa ● From April 27 through May 6, the city of Tarifa hosted the Fourth Festival of African Cinema, sponsored by the AECI. More than 150 professionals were in attendance for the presentation of 94 works of fiction, documentaries, and animation. Bamako, the latest production by Mauritanian filmmaker Abderramane Sissako, also debuted at the festival. The festival was an opportunity to discuss film as an environment and instrument for cooperation, as well as its role in development policy. The Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín, announced the creation of an aid fund for African cinematic production, with an endowment of 300,000 euro, which will be earmarked for the funding of film projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. “The creation of this fund," she said," is a milestone that we are proud of, and which we hope will promote the creation and dissemination of new African works in full harmony with the objectives of Spain's cultural cooperation efforts. The Transparent Productions team
Screening of a film at the Fourth Festival of African Cinema in Tarifa. PHOTO AECI
The AECI earmarks 150,000 dollars for flood relief in Uruguay ● The torrential floods that took place in Uruguay caused serious damage in nine of the country's departments and affected some 100,000 people, 12,000 of whom had to be evacuated. This is the first time that Uruguay has suffered a natural disaster of this magnitude. The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, in response to a request for aid from the Uruguayan government, has provided 150,000 dollars, which will be used mostly to rebuild housing, due to the fact that more than 6,000 people lost their homes. The AECI is closely following developments related to this emergency, and remains in contact with its Technical Cooper-
ation Office (OTC) in Montevideo in case it is necessary to increase the level of aid.
Author's Week Dedicated to Nélida Piñón ● Traditionally, Author's Weeks have been an ideal way for authors from both sides of the Atlantic to get to know one another, and an effective means for promoting the dissemination of existing works and the creation of new ones on both continents. In this spirit and within this literary cycle, the Casa de América and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) have recently paid tribute to the Brazilian writer Nélida Piñón, winner of the Prince of Asturias Literary Prize for 2005, in the form of various round tables. During the week of May 8 through 11, opinions, commentaries and anecdotes surrounding the figure and work of this Brazilian writer were offered by Juan José Armas Marcelo, Joaquín Marco, Darío Villanueva, Carme Riera, Julio Ortega, Víctor García de la Concha, Carmen Iglesias, Marifé Santiago, Benjamín Prado, Juan Cruz, Fanny Rubio and Pedro Sorela. The final event was a master class in which the author, accompanied by Juan Cruz, was able to express her ideas, describe her work methods and share with the public the motives that underlie her work.
World Book Day at the AECI's libraries ● The AECI's Hispanic and Islamic libraries, which have assumed the status national and international cultural benchmarks with respect to Ibero-american and Islamic matters, celebrated World Book and Copyright Day by giving away several volumes to readers who were present at their facilities. In addition, one of the chapters of Don Quixote was read at the Islamic Library. This action was linked with the traditional annual reading of Cervantes' work that took place at the Circle of Fine Arts in Madrid. Taking part, among others, were the secretary general of the AECI, Juan
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The second session of the Meeting of Municipalities for Development Cooperation, held in Parla, continued the efforts begun at the 2006 meeting in Elche and brings together the expanding initiatives instituted by the local government.
Juan Pablo de Laiglesia
Pablo de Laiglesia, and the directors of the Hispanic and Islamic libraries, Carmen Díez Hoyo and María Victoria Alberola, respectively. Najoua Rabti, resident scholar at the Islamic Library, read several paragraphs of Don Quixote in Arabic. This year several Spanish cultural institutions abroad participated in the ongoing reading of Don Quixote, in centers located in Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru and Paraguay. To highlight the richness of the Amerindian tongues, paragraphs of Don Quixote were read in Quechua in Peru, and in Guarani in Paraguay.
Spain's Contribution to Environmental Policy in Cape Verde ● Spain and Cape Verde have formalized a budgetary support agreement designed to strengthen environmental policy in that African nation. This aid package (at least 9 million euro over three years) is intended to promote more effective and committed collaboration in the Cape Verdean environmental sector, which will be essential to the success of the Growth and Development Strategy adopted by the government of Cape Verde. The AECI is employing this funding method for the first time in Cape Verde, in accordance with the guidelines of the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation for 2005-2008. This operation falls within the Partnership Framework created among the partners for Budgetary Support and the government of Cape Verde, which includes the Netherlands, Austria, and Spain, as well as the World Bank, the European Commission, and the African Development Bank.
Municipia, the meeting place of municipalities Spanish supporters of solidarity TEXT: ana llovet. PHOTOS: efe
● Secretary of State for International Cooperation, officially opened the Second Meeting of Municipalities for Development Cooperation, held in April at the city offices of the Parla (Madrid) municipality and organized by the Directorate of State, the Confederation of Cooperation and Solidarity Funds and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), within the framework of the AECI's Municipia program. The purpose of this program, which was launched in 2006, is to coordinate the efforts of the various participants in the Spanish cooperation effort and to strengthen local institutions and municipalism in developing countries. During her opening address, which was attended by representatives of 70 local Spanish institutions, Leire Pajín acknowledged the international cooperation efforts of municipalities and praised their "drive for social awareness and your ever-increasing ability to incorporate the awareness of our neighbors into a framework of international solidarity, through your outreach efforts
and campaigns." She also pointed out the advantage of municipalism in terms of producing coordinated and complementary action. “It is a matter of joining forces to win," she said, "and here everyone wins." The Secretary of State invited local officials to incorporate the new tools for international development cooperation into their action plans and to establish bridges between the "hundreds of Spanish cities and towns that carry out cooperative activities and the cities and towns of the lands of the South." She also invited the latter to participate in upcoming meetings, because "if anyone knows the ins and outs of the cities and towns of the South, it is their mayors." Also participating in the opening of the session were Ana Urchueguia, President of the Cooperation Commission of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and the mayor of Lasarte-Oria; Teodoro Romero, President of the Confederation of Cooperation Funds (CONFOCOS); Luis Partida, President of the Madrid Federation of Municipalities, and Tomás Gómez, the mayor of Parla.
From left to right: the VP of the Confederation of Funds for Solidarity, Vicent Moreno, the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín, and the Secretary General of the FEMP, Gabriel Álvarez.
miscellany This section is intended as an open door to all of our readers, a forum where our readers can share reviews of common interest. Institutions, organizations, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) officers who wish to contribute to this section may submit their work to the following address: Revista “Miradas al exterior”. Dirección General de Comunicación Exterior. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28034 MADRID
> ‘A Devastating Charm, Edgar Neville: from Hollywood to postwar Madrid’, Juan Antonio Ríos Carratalá. Editorial Ariel. People used to describe Edgar Neville as a man of "devastating charm." . Of aristocratic stock, a lover of women and the good life, brilliant in company, inventive and creative, he shared the hopes of the Republic, flirted with various avantgardes, was a friend of people like Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, traveled over half the world and had a passionate love affair with the actress Conchita Montes… A member of "the other Generation of 1927" (along with Mihura, Tono and Jardiel Poncela, among others) Neville was taken by surprise by the Civil War, as were so many in creative and intellectual circles. The happy and carefree world of his youth disappeared, to be replaced by, firstly, the war, and afterwards, the gloom of a post-war period during which some of those who believed in humor as a vital choice
survived by opting for silence or else, as in Neville's case, by accepting the new regime in order to continue living his privileged lifestyle. This is the story of a man at the crossroads: someone who was forced to make ethical and political decisions that were to affect his entire future. A brilliant portrait written by University of Alicante professor Juan Antonio Rios Carratalá, a specialist in Spanish cinema and theater history as he has demonstrated in a number of books.
> ‘Alert 2007!’ Report on conflicts, human rights and peace-building. Editorial Icaria.
The Pau School of Culture (ECP) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona has produced Alert 2007! Report on conflicts, human rights and peace-building, a study carried out by a team of researchers who analyze and draw conclusions on the state of the world during year 2006, based on peace-building and preventative alert indicators. Alert 2007! looks at general tendencies in armed struggles,
high-risk situations of tension and dispute, peace processes, post-war reconstruction, humanitarian crises, levels of militarization and disarmament, the human rights situation and International Humanitarian Law and the gender dimension in peace-building. The report points out that during the past year the number of armed conflicts has remained at 21 and the tendency towards regionalization has been reinforced. While media attention has been focused on Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, not forgetting tensions with Syria and Iran, on the African continent confrontations in Central and East Africa are acquiring a ver y worrisome regional dimension because of the spread of the armed struggle in Dar fur to the Central African Republic and Chad and the Ethiopian offensive against the Islamic Tribunals. Also, during 2006 it became apparent that there was a dire shortage of resources to meet the humanitarian crises in conflict-ridden areas, mainly in Africa. The number of these emergencies rose from 43 to 45, the majority of them in countries in a situation of conflict or tension, in an international context marked once again, a year later, by lack of political will and violations of international human rights. On the other hand, conflict prevention is still unfinished business, given the ver y few successes there have
been in this area. Nevertheless, Alert 2007! stresses the positive step taken by the UN Security Council in adopting the principle of a “duty to protect” and suggests that this could become an effective instrument to compensate for the inactivity of the international community in the period leading up to outbreak of armed struggle. As for peace processes, the repor t points out a slight improvement in negotiations in Africa. Aler t 2007! emphasizes the positive nature of the cessation of hostilities between the Ugandan Government and the LRA and the ceasefire in Burundi, which open the doors to the possibility of definitive peace agreements, like the peace agreement reached in Nepal where a process of post-war reconstruction has begun. The ECP's report denounces the current arms race, which has again reached a stage comparable to that occurring during the Cold War. It does not seem as if this tendency is going to be reversed, since it has been justified by the so-called war on terror which has relegated diplomatic means of conflict resolution to second place. This phenomenon is also beginning to impact human rights. Nor has a gender perspective made many forceful inroads into the international peace-building agenda, ignoring peace proposals from women throughout the world. www.escolapau.org
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> ‘Traveling through Sub-Saharan Africa’, Jose Edery, Editorial: Secretary General for Scientific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. On sale in State Office (BOE) bookstores.
The author, who has long experience and up-to-date information, provides the traveler, as in his well-known “Health Guide to Africa”, with an overview of the region and of each of the different sub-Saharan countries he describes (Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania). The first part of the book consists of general information needed before setting out on a journey, covering health precautions, safety advice, administrative information, etc... In the second part he describes the cities and places of interest of each country, the currency, banking and customs procedures and restrictions, clothing, hotels, restaurants, food, customs, anecdotes, social habits, means of transportation, festivals, hospitals, diseases, languages etc... which gives readers a clearer idea
and further information on the country they are visiting. Although it is aimed mainly at State Office officials stationed abroad, it is a useful guide for all travelers.
> ‘The Ambassador and the King, the Count of Gondomar and James I of England’, Juan DuránLoriga, Publisher: Secretary General for Scientific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Diplomatic Library Collection. On sale in State Office (BOE) bookstores.
Juan Durán-Loriga y Rodrigáñez, a diplomat with a varied career, was brought up in an educated household and has been a lover of words and literature ever since his childhood. In his official capacity he wrote a large number of working papers, in which he tried to avoid bureaucratic jargon. He retired as Spanish Ambassador to France in 1991, but has not put down his pen and has published his ‘Diplomatic Memoirs’. His book's central figures are Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, first Count of Gondomar and King James I of England, and VI of Scotland, to whom he was sent as Phillip III's ambassador. Durán-Loriga is currently
writing his second volume of memoirs on his Galician, Riojan, Andalusian and Cuban ancestors.
> ‘A Spaniard in the World: Santayana’, José María Alonso Gamo. Ediciones Aache. This book, by the humanist and diplomat José María Alonso Gamo (Guadalajara, 1913 - Madrid, 1993), is a preliminar y study of Jorge Santayana, the philosopher and writer, a native of Avila, a contemporar y of Unamuno's, who spent his entire career in the United States, bequeathing to it a consistent body of philosophy and poetr y that is now much admired in university and cultivated circles in the United States. The book that has just been published, through the impetus of Dolores Sandoval, Alonso Gamo's widow, is the second volume of his complete works and contains a biography of Santayana and a study of his work and poetr y, and also contains an excellent translation of Santana's collected poetr y by Alonso Gamo himself . This is a bilingual edition (English and Spanish) and contains some interesting photographs of the book's subject. Santayana, as Alonso Gamo says in his study of him, is an author who forms a bridge between two traditions, the European and the American, and two eras, the transition from the 19th to the 20th centur y. Not much is known about him, except that he lived in the company of books. Among his students at Har vard were T.S. Eliot and Wallace Stevens, two of the greatest Ameri-
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can modernist poets. José María Alonso Gamo began his career as a diplomat in 1949 and held various posts in Spain and in Holland, France, Peru, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Among his major works are ‘Your roses in front of the mirror’, National Prize for Literature; ‘Three Argentinean Poets: Marechal, Molinari, Bernárdez’, and the now republished ‘A Spaniard in the World: Santayana’, winner of the Spanish Royal Academy's "Fastenrath" Prize.
> ‘The Second Chinese Revolution: Ten Years as Ambassador to Beijing’, Eugenio Bregolat. Editorial Destino. The Editorial Destino has published an analysis of the realities of China by the former Spanish Ambassador to China from 1987 through 2003, a period marked by enormously significant events such as those of Tiananmen Square, political opening and economic reforms. Eugenio Bregolat (La Seu d’Urgell, 1943), who holds a degree in law, entered the diplomatic ser vice in 1971. He was Director General of the International Depar tment in both Adolfo
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Suárez' and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo's cabinets. He has been Ambassador to Indonesia, China, Canada and Russia, and Political Director in the Ministr y of Foreign Affairs between 1997 and 1999. He is currently Spain's Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra. The author of “The Second Chinese Revolution” is an intelligent and perceptive witness to the profound changes in a ver y complex society which is undergoing a spectacular blooming and which in a few years will be called on to play a decisive role in world affairs.
> ‘How I Saw my Times. Recollections of a Diplomat’, Antonio Villacieros. Editorial Dossoles. The Diplomatic Bag Collection Antonio Villacieros began his diplomatic career in the Vatican at the age of 22, and later it took him to Switzerland, Ecuador and Japan. He was head of the Ministerial Diplomatic Cabinet, Director of Cultural Relations and Chief
of Embassy Protocol. His last post, which he held until 1980, was as Chief of Protocol in the Royal Household. This book, which he wrote at his children's urging before his death in 1983, draws together his memories and obser vations. He describes our recent histor y as a privileged witness, according to his convictions, and with humanity and honesty.
> Fifth anniversary of Quórum magazine The theme of the latest issue of Quórum magazine is Culture and Development, and it was edited by Fernando Vicario, Assessor of the Spanish International Development Agency, with contributions from Alfons Mar tinell, Director General of Cultural and Scientific Relations at the AECI; Germán Rey, Head of Research in Economics and Culture for the Convenio Andrés Bello; Patricio Rivas, Cultural Coordinator for the Convenio Andrés Bello; Tulio Hernández, sociologist and journalist, and Mar ta Por to, former Director of the UNESCO office in Río de Janeiro (Brasil). The director of the Magazine, Manuel Guedán,
writes on Latin America's outdated political discourse in his Letter to the Readers. As in previous editions, Quórum includes Rober to Goycoolea's Architectural Notes, a Language Dialogue between editor Caridad Plaza and the writers Marcelo Figueras and Jorge Eduardo Benavides, and two news ar ticles: Climate Change, by Antonio Ruíz de Elvira, and Hugo Chávez and the Future of Petroleum in Venezuela, by Paul Isbell. Also, Francisco Carrión, former Ecuadorean Foreign Minister, outlines his countr y's current foreign policy; Guillermo Escobar, Professor of Constitutional Law, discusses the latest repor ts from the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen (FIO), and Andrés Collado, Director of the Diplomatic School, writes on the challenges facing the economies of Latin America. Joaquín Leguina's review of the book Intellectual Impostures and Miguel Donaire's bibliographical notes are the other ar ticles that make up Quórum Magazine no 17, for Spring 2007.
> ‘The Lady of Duwisib’, Eduardo Garrigues. Ediciones Martínez Roca. Grupo Planeta. Eduardo Garrigues, diplomat and former Ambassador to Namibia, has published this novel based on a true stor y which will fascinate all those readers who enjoyed ‘Memories of Africa’. The author grounds his stor y in an exhaustive research of the period, including many original documents and photographs.
Jayta Humphreys, the heiress of a wealthy American family, was known at the time as the Lady of Duwisib because she lived in a stone castle built in this remote location in the middle of the deser t. In the years leading up to the First World War she traveled to Namibia with her husband, a German captain named Hansheinrich von Wolf, in order to breed thoroughbred horses. A stor y from the beginning of the 20th centur y, with a heroine who was ahead of her time, captivated by Africa and by an impossible love. Eduardo Garrigues has had a long career as an author and was awarded the Café Gijón Prize for shor t novels in 1961 for ‘The Capercaillie's Song’ and the Pío Baroja Stor y Prize for ‘Article Six’. His passion for exotic places and adventure inspired his ‘Rain of Grass’set in turbulent postcolonial Kenya and ‘West of Babylon’which recreates the Epic of Gilgamesh in the Nor th American deser t.
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visit to the future headquarters of the maec
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Minister of Defense visited the Infante Don Juan Barracks, where they inspected the building work that is being carried out to convert the complex into the MAEC headquarters
Visit to the future MAEC headquarters ● The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and Defense, José Antonio Alonso, along with MAEC Assistant Secretary Luis Calvo, visited the site of the Infante Don Juan Barracks in Madrid, where the future headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation will be located, at the beginning of June. As the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation announced last December, talks are in progress with the Ministry of Defense over implementing the agreement of the Council of Ministers to upgrade the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation by giving it a headquarters located in the block bordered by the Paseo de Moret and Ferraz, Calle Martín de los Heros and Calle Francisco Lozano, behind the Air Force Headquarters and near the Moncloa Interchange, a 24,000 meter plot of land. The new headquarters of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation will have sufficient capacity to host all centralized services and those of the four State Departments. It will also host the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI). It will be the first Ministry to occupy a new building in Madrid in quite a long time, since the New Ministries, whose construction began 1933, were finished in 1942. The Directorate General for State Assets, a branch of the Ministry of Economy and the Treasury, will then announce an architectural competition, the results of which will serve as the basis for the eventual completion of the project. After this, the Directorate General will then announce the corresponding public competition to draw up plans for the construction of the building. The Directorate will then go on to announce the next public competition to judge the work.
Pictures of the Minister of Defense, José Antonio Alonso, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, accompanied by the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Luis Calvo, inspecting what is at the moment the Infante Don Juan Barracks. PHOTO IGNACIO GÓMEZ AND JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ
Con la ayuda de todos, luchamos contra la pobreza La Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI) es el órgano de gestión de la política española de cooperación para el desarrollo. Adscrita al Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación, la AECI tiene como objetivo principal contribuir al crecimiento económico y al progreso social, cultural, político e institucional de los países en desarrollo, de acuerdo con los principios de la defensa y la promoción de los Derechos Humanos y del desarrollo sostenible, participativo y equitativo para hombres y mujeres.
www.aeci.es
the interview Every year malaria kills more than a million people, particularly children in African countries. After many years of unsuccessful efforts to find a vaccine against this parasite that can be transmitted by a mosquito bite, the team headed by the Spaniard Pedro Alonso (born in Madrid in 1959) has opened a new door to hope. There is every possibility that by 2010 there will be a vaccine against the dreaded Plasmodium Falciparum, the cause of 95 percent of malaria deaths, “the enemy to beat”, as Alonso himself puts it. The discovery of the vaccine, which is considered to be one of the greatest scientific milestones of the last few decades, has been made possible largely by the support of the Spanish Agency for Cooperation, which provides the basic funding and pays for the running of the Mozambique Manhiça Center where the research is being carried out, and by the cooperation of the Barcelona Hospital Clinic, which has lent its wholehearted support to Alonso's research. This vaccine is important on a number of fronts because, over and above the huge number of deaths malaria causes, it also infects a very high proportion of the African population and is one of the main causal factors in the terrible vicious cycle of disease and poverty.
“If a country does not improve its population's health, it is difficult for it to raise itself out of poverty”
Pedro
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â—? the interview
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PROFILE Pedro Alonso
TEXT: luis sánchez pérez. PHOTOS: javier fernández
— What stage has the vaccine reached that you and your team are developing? — It's a vaccine targeted at the malaria parasite Plasmodium Falciparum, which is one of the four existing strains and the main cause of deaths from this disease, 95 percent of the total number. So this is the enemy to beat. Developing a vaccine against malaria is a very complex process for various reasons. First, to put it in context, because diseases associated with poverty are not of interest to the market, therefore they do not attract the type and level of investment needed, and so there are few resources available to fight it. — So in other words, it's not financially worthwhile for the industry. — Exactly. It has been suggested that the opposite is true, that is, that the laboratories and big pharmaceutical companies have been deliberately boycotting research because they don't want a vaccine. The problem is exactly the opposite: as there is no economic incentive, they do not invest, there is no pay-off, they're just not interested. — This is just one of the problems, but from what I hear, there are others. — The other problems have to do with the nature of Plasmodium Falciparum. Bear in mind that it is a parasite, not a bacterium or a virus, and therefore it has a very complicated life-cycle and inside the human body it goes through a whole series of stages that are constantly changing and evolving. Added to this, we do not really understand the protective immunological mechanisms. With other diseases, like hepatitis, measles, diphtheria…. we know that if you have above a certain level of antibodies, you are protected.
received his medical degree in Madrid, the city where he was born in 1959, and spent a large part of his early career at London University where he specialized in immunology.l He did his first work in Africa in Gambia with the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council. It was in this country that he discovered his scientific calling and where he received his first training as a researcher. l After spending a year at Spain's National Center for Scientific Research, he took up a post at the Hospital ClinicUniversitat in Barcelona which has supported Dr Alonso's research and his work in Mozambique. l “Time” magazine has named him as one of the most important people working in the health field in the world today. Doctor Alonso has been awarded many prizes and has won recognition both in Spain and abroad, receiving, among others, the Grand Cross of the Civil Health Order and the Red Cross Gold Medal. l He is married to a fellow epidemiologist and member of the Manhiça research team, Clara Menéndez, and they have three children.
In the case of malaria, it's not like that, we do not know what the protective immunological mechanisms, to give them their scientific name, are. But the problems don't end there. — Go on. — We do not have a good animal model to experiment on. With other infectious diseases you have a model available that you can try it out in and this will predict what will happen if you transfer that to a human organism. In the case of malaria we don't have this, and, in this situation, developing a vaccine is largely an empirical, trial and error process. Of course it is not surprising that there has been a long history of attempts to come up with a malaria vaccine, that up until now have achieved very little in the way of results, zero in fact. — How does this attempt differ from previous efforts? — The vaccine's scientific name is RTS,S/ASO2A, an old antigen which was identified for the first time in 1986, and ownership of it has been passed from company to company. The current owner is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This laboratory has made a very important contribution in that it has developed very powerful adjuvants. — What role do these adjuvants play? — Adjuvants are substances that are added to the vaccine and that stimulate the immune response. Something like adding a special octane enhancer to the fuel in your car. Until now the only adjuvant that was added to the antigen was aluminum hydroxide, which was not very effective, but GSK has developed a new family of adjuvants which can cause a previously non-functioning antigen to take effect. — Interesting, but what role do you and your team play in this process? — On the basis of some preliminary results on United States soldiers, we were asked to take charge of the clinical development phase of the product and this is what we have been doing since 2003. Our work consists of what are called concept trials, an extremely important part of the work because with a disease like malaria the only way to find
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out if it is working or not is to carry out clinical trials, as I have just explained. Of course we are also involved in clinical trials and we have shown that the vaccine is effective in cases where we have vaccinated children between one and four years of age. — What degree of effectiveness have you achieved so far? — The degree of effectiveness is up to 45 percent in the case of new infections and we have reached about 35 pe cent in mild clinical cases and 50 percent in severe cases. As for how long protection lasts, we thought initially that it would last just a few weeks, but now we know that it lasts for around two years and by the end of 2007 we may be in position to announce that the period of protection lasts even longer. — So it is children, particularly African children, who benefit most from it. — That's right. We are going to try out the vaccine in Africa, and the main targets are newborn babies. Firstly because they are the most vulnerable, as they can develop the disease at a very young age, four or five months. We have to vaccinate before that age. Secondly, we have a mechanism for administering the vaccine, the Expanded Vaccination Program, the only fully operational health program in Africa, and certainly, the only one which will enable us to make vaccines available to the entire population. Until now we have concentrated on two, three, four month old babies, a trial that we have just completed and we will have the results of that in a few months' time. — So what is the next step? — If it works as we hope it will, we will go to a Phase 3 trial, which involves doing the same thing but extending it to seven or eight African countries, and then we have to register the product, that is to say, get it authorized by the European Medicines Agency. We are confident that this whole process will be finished by 2010. — A window of hope, considering that the number of deaths from malaria is up to a million a year. — A number that is possibly an underestimate.
The diseases of poverty are of no interest to the market and do not attract the investment needed to fight them. The main targets for the vaccine are African children, who are the most vulnerable to the disease. Our society been able to completely turn its back on the malaria problem.
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— Of course, few people in the developed world are aware of these dramatic figures, perhaps because we are not directly affected by them. — Yes, it's very strange, an odd psychological phenomenon. It is true that it doesn't affect us, even now. I should point out that we have some cases of malaria in Spain every year, among travelers and immigrants. Our grandparents lived with malaria, so it is not something unknown on the European continent, but our society has managed to forget completely that the problem still exists. In 1940 more than 5,000 people died of malaria in Spain. Malaria was endemic in a third of the United States until the mid 20th century. Now, suddenly, it's as if we had never experienced this problem. — With the phenomena of globalization and the constant movement of immigrants, is it possible that malaria might be re-introduced to the West on a large scale? — I am not an expert in this area, but my impression is that it is relatively unlikely. And I say this for several reasons: in Spain and in Europe as a whole, we have not eradicated the mosquito that transmits the disease, but we have eradicated the parasite. In theory, then, it is possible that European mosquitoes could acquire the parasite again, but this is a very remote possibility. There are several examples that back up this claim. For example, over the last few years around 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans have come to Spain, and, estimating on the low side, ten percent of them carry the parasite in their blood. However, not a single case of home-grown malaria has been reported. We can say the same about Italy, France, Portugal or the Balkans, which means that, once the link between the mosquito and the parasite has been broken, it is very difficult for it to re-establish itself. — That's reassuring. However, if, as a result of climate change, infected mosquitoes should come over from Africa… — That is unlikely too because there is a large natural barrier in between, the Sahara Desert. We should also say
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that it is a huge problem, and we should help to raise society's awareness of the illness and invest more money on eradication measures, but I don't think that we are in any great danger in Europe at the moment. Unless of course I am completely wrong and we have a massive malaria epidemic in Europe in ten years' time. — So, setting aside the risks, perhaps we could get back to the basic issue. If the fight against malaria is not a worthwhile business proposition for the big pharmaceutical companies, the gap has to be filled by public funding and by philanthropic bodies and organizations. — Yes, that's right, first of all we need to be aware of the situation. The economic incentive that motivates the West does not work in this case. Nevertheless, society must face up to this problem because it is unreasonable to argue that if the market can't take care of it, those affected must put up with it. If the market can't do it, then public money and charitable organizations will have to. As I see it, the solution lies in bringing together public money and charity funding, and also involving those sectors that have the expertise and the ability to address the problem, that is, academic institutions and industry. I am referring to what has become known as the three “Ps”, the public-private partnership. — A kind of alliance. — The fact is that although it is not in the interests of industry to invest in the development of a new anti-malaria drug, it is in the interests of society. And it is in our interest especially that the industry's knowledge base should be used for the good of society as a whole. So that what we are then able to do is finance a large part of the new drug's development costs with money from both public and charitable sources. Let me give you an example: a public-private partnership called Medicine for Malaria, has been able to kick-start the development of new anti-malaria drugs in recent years. Another mechanism is what is called the “pool”, whereby public money from charitable sources guarantees industry
It is relatively unlikely that malaria will spread to the West. While it is not in industry's interests to invest in new drugs to fight malaria, it is in society's interest to do so. Spain is playing a key role, the public aid budget ensures that specific vaccines will be put to use.
a market worth 1.5 billion euros if, for example, it finds a three-serotype pneumococcal vaccine that can be used in Africa. This is what we call a market evaluation committee. — What role does Spain play in these mechanisms? — Spain is playing a key role in this process, and in the International Fund for Vaccines and Immunization, to ensure that public funding for aid is conditional on certain vaccines being used in development programs. Our country is one of the promoters of the International Finance Facility for Immunization, as President Rodríguez Zapatero announced eighteen months ago at the United Nations, when he made a commitment of 200 million euros. And he did this in conjunction with other countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Sweden, who have jointly set up a fund of around 1.5 billion euros for the World Vaccine and Immunization Fund to provide an incentive to business. So, basically, what I want to make clear is that these are major innovations that enable public funding to play a key role in filling the gaps left by the market. — A way of breaking the vicious cycle between poverty and disease — It's a deadly cycle: if you're poor you're more vulnerable to disease, and the sicker you get the poorer you become. It affects individuals, but it also affects countries overall. Remember that the money a country spends on its sick population is money that could be invested in education or infrastructure. We are trying to break the vicious cycle, given that there are many ways of encouraging development in third world countries, and building infrastructures is one, but if a country does not improve its population's health, it is difficult for it to pull itself out of poverty. — So research becomes an essential tool. — In order to promote better health we need new and better tools, and, in this context, research is a strategic tool in the struggle for peoples' social and economic development. This is an idea that
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Improving health calls for new and better tools. Research is a strategic tool.
has been difficult for us to grasp, even in the area of international development. It was always thought that you first had to dig wells and build roads... And this is all very well, but we need to invest in research too, because the problem lies in the fact that we lack the appropriate tools for tackling some of the diseases that are closely linked to poverty, and that keep societies in poverty. — Does the AECI, the Spanish International Cooperation Agency, understand this? — The AECI plays a key role in our work. So, in the mid 1980s it committed itself to adopting this perspective and these ideas that were not well-established at that time, even within the aid community. So in light of this, the AECI supported the collaboration between Spain and Mozambique and, on the clinical side, it worked with the Barcelona Hospital Clinic to set up the Manhiça Research Center. This is a very long-term commitment because what we are doing is setting up a research center in a rural area in one of the ten poorest countries in the world for the purpose of training specialists, providing medical care and carrying out research on the population's major health problems. This is work that will take years and that goes against the normal practices of development agen-
The AECI has shown itself capable of a vision and a commitment that place it at the forefront of international development.
cies, who prefer to work in an area for a few years and then move on to other projects. — ¿What form does the AECI's commitment to the Manhiça Center take? — The AECI has realized that a project like the Manhiça one is a process that needs at least twenty-five or thirty years' investment. Because of this, it will carry on its commitment through successive Governments and Administrations. A research center in any part of the world needs a certain degree of stability and this one has that, thanks to the AECI which provides its basic funding and operating costs. Now that the Center's funding is secure we can attract other resources from institutions like the BBVA Foundation, the La Caixa Foundation or the Gates Foundation, which have given us a lot of help, but none of these foundations would have given us grants if we did not have the backbone of the funding that the AECI provides. I can assure you that the AECI is playing an absolutely key role and has shown a vision and a capacity for medium- and long-term commitment that puts it at the cutting edge of international development, at the forefront of the cooperation that is generating knowledge and tools that will enable us to transform people's lives. This is the kind of pioneering work
that only a few countries like the United Kingdom or Sweden and a few others can undertake. — ¿What are the features that make this Center unique? — We have a very clear mission: to develop a center of excellence. And when we say this we mean, without false modesty, that we aspire to being the best center in the world in this specialty. We also made the decision to set up the center in a rural area, because that is where the problem is. There are very few research centers in Africa and those that exist are in city locations. But 75 percent of the African population lives in rural areas and the health problems they suffer are different from those of the urban population. In any case, we are contributing to improving and fostering development in the region through the fight against disease. And we are doing this in three ways. The first one is obvious: we cannot be in one of the poorest countries of the world, with all our technical and medical resources and not provide health care to the people. This is a task we carry out jointly with the Mozambican Health Department and the district hospital, and in fact a significant share of our resources goes into improving health care in the region. This involves us in complex obligations, but we cannot just
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devote ourselves to high-level research when the people who live around us lack medical services. Secondly, we know that we are not going to spend our whole lives there, because this is not the model we want. And so we are training Mozambican staff, basically researchers. Training a researcher is not something you can improvise in a year or two; it takes at least seven or eight years. But at the end of that training, what we bequeath to the Mozambique health service is a number of professionals who have worked with us in the field, and who have completed their postgraduate studies or their doctorates. The third way is by focusing research on the health problems people suffer from over there, deadly diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, malnutrition… — Do you have sufficient resources for such a major task? — We have been given a very high-level research facility, particularly for a rural area. We have reasonably sophisticated research laboratories that enable us to, for example, carry out very complex molecular biology or complex immunological studies. We have the support of a very powerful computing and data-processing unit. Basically, we have what some of our visitors refer to as a modest infrastructure. It may be modest when you compare it to other centers, but it is well-organized and integrated. — In spite of everything, I get the impression that working in the Center is kind of an adventure. At least it's very different from working in a research center located in a big city in the developed world. — Yes, some things are difficult. For example, we have to get our own electricity supply from generators and arrange for the supply of drinking water... But don't get the wrong idea. The Center has a great bunch of people working there, Mozambicans and a few Spanish people, and we realize that we have the opportunity to carry out important work, thanks to the money that Spain has provided us with. We see it as a privilege, not as a penance. We are not suffering in Manhiça, we are taking
responsibility for making sure this kind of adventure works out. And we enjoy doing it. — When you look at it like that, it seems very appealing. — Of course. Outside of work, there is not a lot else to do in the town. The staff work about twelve hours a day. Although we have reasonable working conditions, we also have a few inconveniences to deal with, like daily electricity outages, the heat… But, as I say, we love being there, we enjoy our work and we consider ourselves privileged. All in all, the normal pattern is that the people who work in the Center stay there for four or five years at a stretch. It's better not to stay much longer than that because we live in a relatively small environment, a closed and isolated community where people are confronting difficult challenges every day. — Everything you have said has convinced me that you love your work. I would like to know what were the factors that drew you into the world of research. — Initially I had no plans to go into research. When I left the university all I knew was that tropical medicine appealed to me and I wanted to work in Africa. I was fortunate in that my first working experience was in a hospital in Gambia run by the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council. And, although at the beginning my work was just helping out, it opened my eyes to the health problems the Africans suffered from, and the lack of facilities for overcoming them. And so, in those circumstances, and having the opportunity to work in a British research center, it seemed quite natural for me to make the transition into research. Treating patients in a clinical setting is great work, it's fine, but in order to solve problems you absolutely have to carry out research. — Can you explain to me how a recently graduated doctor from Madrid ended up working in a British hospital in Gambia? — Sometimes the shortest distance between two points is not a straight line. In my case it was because of my
six months' stay in the United States, in Boston, where I went to work in general medicine. It was there that I came in contact with the British, and went off to Africa. I am talking about the early eighties. Nowadays we all know about international aid, it gets talked about in the media, but at that time nobody knew anything about it or had any interest in it. Nor was there any awareness of these issues, except among certain religious orders. — And after Gambia… — I went to England, which was where I specialized in epidemiology, and then I came back to Spain and spent a year at the National Scientific Research Council, until I was offered a post at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona to set up an epidemiology unit. At the Barcelona Hospital Clinic they were very open with me, given that I had said yes to the job but that I still wanted to carry on with my research work in Africa. At the present time I am still working in this center in Barcelona where they have given me the freedom to put a team together, to fund the Manhiça centre and to carry out research in Mozambique. I feel very fortuante to belong to an institution like the Clinic that supports the development of new initiatives. As you can see, all this work has been accomplished from this base in Barcelona and with the support of the AECI. — Your research work has begun to be recognized both in Spain and abroad. How do you feel about the prizes and recognition you have gained? How important are they to you? — I would be lying if I said I was not gratified and honored. But it would also be unnecessarily modest not to point out that, although I am grateful for these honors, the important thing is not that I get a medal or a cross, the really important thing is that these things point to a change in the culture, that society is beginning to see the value of knowledge generation as a tool for transformation. I hope that this is a genuine and permanent cultural change, not something transient, that society recognizes the true value of research. This would be my real prize.
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