The Government of Catalonia has approved the Africa 2030 Strategy, which provides the basis for relations between Catalonia and the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The strategy provides a stable and permanent framework aimed at positioning Catalonia as an influential player in the region and consolidating the Generalitat’s institutional presence in Africa.

The Africa 2030 Strategy sets out an ambitious road map for building alliances in areas including feminism, climate justice and democratic memory. Indeed, one of the main new features of the Strategy compared to the first Africa Plan 2020-2023 Plan is the inclusion of Equatorial Guinea as a preferential country, given Catalonia’s historical responsibility in the wake of Spanish colonisation.

The Strategy also proposes two frameworks for action (2024-2027 and 2028-2030) adapted to address the complexity of the territories and peoples in the region, and aims to consolidate relations with governments and regions, especially through the West African delegations, based in Dakar (Senegal); and Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Finally, the Strategy envisages fostering dialogue with African civil society, as well as its diaspora in Catalonia, and continuing to ensure official development aid in those regions, as an essential tool of international solidarity set out in the Master Plan for Development Cooperation 2023-2026.

Countries including Senegal, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo currently receive this aid through the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation.

Three areas, six strategic objectives

As a result of broad-based co-operation between various Government ministries, the Strategy consists of three main areas:

·In the “presence” area, Catalonia’s relations with the African continent will be based on a desire for Catalonia to stand out with its own unique voice.

1. In the “influence” area, priority areas will be established, in which Catalonia can contribute added value, especially in terms of the green, feminist and digital transformation and the promotion of Catalan language and culture.
2. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda will be promoted in the “commitment” area.

At the same time, these areas involve six strategic objectives:

·Consolidate the Government of Catalonia’s presence in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

1. Position Catalonia as a useful actor with its own voice in interactions with Africa.
2. Foster the exchange of knowledge and the creation of alliances between Catalonia and Africa.
3. Advocate for gender perspective, the recovery of memories and defence of vulnerable populations.
4. Align with the SDGs and promoting sustainable human development.
5. Improve the participation and coordination of stakeholders taking an approach based on policy coherence.

Thanks to the Africa 2030 Strategy, the government has a tool to promote relations with the countries in the region, and to identify new areas for future collaboration on the continent.