It was presented at an event attended by the Secretary General of the Council Foundation and CaixaBank in its capacity as Vice-Chair and representative of the private sector
The new Asia-Pacific Strategy 2026–2029 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, recently presented by Minister José Manuel Albares, marks a strategic step forward in Spain’s foreign policy toward a region that accounts for more than 60% of the world’s population and around 45% of global GDP and industrial production.
The event, held at Casa Asia headquarters in Barcelona, brought together ambassadors from countries in the region and representatives of institutions engaged in Spain’s outreach to Asia-Pacific, including the Spain-Australia Council Foundation, demonstrating Spain’s ambition to expand its political, economic, and cultural ties with key partners in this new global axis.
In his remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted the work of the Council Foundations, thanking them for “their daily dedication and their contribution to the reflection process that has culminated in this document for the next four years.” He added that the Council Foundations “also reflect the way Spain engages with and is present in the world.”
Approved last December, the Strategy constitutes the roadmap that will guide Spain’s activity in a region that, in recent years, has become the center of gravity of international relations: it represents 60% of the world’s population, 45% of global GDP, and 45% of industrial production.
Spain’s main lines of action for the coming years aim to deepen political and economic ties through a stronger diplomatic presence on the ground, as well as to work together with regional partners to generate shared, sustainable, and secure growth opportunities.
The Strategy also seeks to reinforce the European Union’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region by supporting new economic agreements and stable frameworks for cooperation, while further strengthening collaboration in science, innovation, culture, public diplomacy, and people-to-people connections.
The Spain-Australia Council Foundation was represented at this important event by its Secretary General, Ambassador María Victoria González Román, underscoring the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening Spanish-Australian relations in all their dimensions. Joan Rosas, Director of International Financial Institutions at CaixaBank and Vice-Chair of the FCEA Board of Trustees, also attended, highlighting the importance of dialogue between the public and private sectors in order to seize the economic opportunities offered by the relationship with Australia.
The Spain-Australia Council Foundation thus renews its vocation as an institutional, cultural, and economic bridge between the two countries, contributing to the implementation of a strategic collaboration agenda in a region that is emerging as central to the future global geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape.
Download the Asia-Pacific Strategy 2026–2029
Read the news on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
