Closer ties • Chapter summary
Against a backdrop of political turmoil, Spain has prioritized its foreign policy and economic diplomacy to maintain its image on the international stage and continue its economic recovery. In light of this, the government has drafted an economic diplomacy agenda to communicate Spain’s financial interests overseas, boost exports, attract foreign investment and tourism, and support the internationalization of Spanish companies. This agenda is directly linked with its foreign policy. The basic idea is to collectively use more conventional diplomatic activities to reinforce economic and trade relations. One key player in this is the Spanish Foreign Network, which includes embassies, consulates, and economic and trade offices and plays a vital role in attracting foreign investment and enabling the globalization of Spanish companies.
Despite the 2008 economic crisis, Spain is now one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. The rise in global demand for Spanish goods and services underlies this transition, with the contribution of exports of goods and services to GDP increasing from 22.67% in 2009 to an impressive 34% in 2017. Supplementary to this is the synergy between economic diplomacy and the Spain Brand project, whose goal, with the help of the monarchy, is to enhance Spain’s image in economics, culture, society, science, and technology. In extension, Spain’s public diplomacy council coordinates with a host of organizations that stem from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to communicate their initiatives in foreign policy and uphold the country’s international status.
What is more, the government’s digitalization efforts are equally impressive and up to speed. For example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation implemented a Digital Diplomacy Plan in 2015 whose goals are to use social media to provide a better public explanation of its offices overseas and of the ministry’s daily tasks, duties, and undertakings; take foreign policy closer to its citizens, explaining the government’s priorities and explaining its position on international issues; promote general knowledge of Spain in other countries; and foster the economic and social progress of Spain and better mutual knowledge through closer and more plural communication. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has a Twitter account, both in Spanish and English, as well as a presence on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Using these channels, diplomatic offices are able to inform the public on the challenges and tasks they are faced with on a day-today basis. Most importantly, these networks can be used to quickly reach Spanish citizens living abroad in case of emergencies.
Lastly, any text about Spanish diplomacy is incomplete without a mention of Spain’s soft power and cultural diplomacy. Known for its food, music, history, and literature, Spanish culture plays a significant part in the country’s foreign policy, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. Spain’s ties with Latin America are a key foreign policy priority of every government, evident from frequent visits by the king and the prime minister. Although trade between Spain and Latin America has failed to reach its potential, Spanish companies that have expanded into the region have had great success. Moreover, economic ties are bound to strengthen in the years to come given the number of Spanish embassies and consulates in the pipeline across the region. ✖