Secretary of State Diego Martínez Belío presented to the Australian participants Spain's vision of the European Union, the energy transition, and major global challenges | View the Program Summary in PDF
The seventh edition of the Australian Leaders Program began with a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. There, the Leaders were received by Diego Martínez Belío, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, accompanied by María Victoria Rodríguez Román, Secretary General of the Spain-Australia Council Foundation; Luis Fonseca Sánchez, Director General for North America, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific; and María Luisa Benítez-Donoso, Director of the Office of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs.
At this first meeting, senior officials from the Ministry gave the Leaders an overview of Spanish foreign policy and their vision for the Asia-Pacific region. Diego Martínez Belío explained that the Government of Spain is making an effort to strengthen Spain's global presence, especially in Asia and other regions outside of Europe. Regarding the European Union, following the United Kingdom's departure, Spain has become the bloc's fourth-largest country, has gained more parliamentarians, and has moved up one spot in terms of GDP importance. In terms of energy, Spain is close to obtaining 50% of its energy from renewable sources, which represents significant progress toward energy independence.
Regarding defense, Diego Martínez Belío noted that Spain is a member of NATO and hosts US military bases. However, the country is not a member of the G7. In summary, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs considered that Spain is in a relatively favorable position compared to other nations, although global trends remain negative.
The Leaders wanted to know Spain's position on the most important international issues, since, as Matthew Knott pointed out, Australia does not follow Spanish news much. They were particularly interested in Spain's position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, which is currently making headlines, given that the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas took place in Egypt today, with numerous international leaders present, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
For his part, John McDuling wanted to learn more about Spain's energy policy, especially regarding renewables, since "renewables are a very common topic in Australia." The Australian journalist wanted to know if the country expects to exceed 50% of its total energy source from renewable sources, and the advantages for the economy of not depending on Russian gas. Diego Martínez Belío explained that Spain does not depend significantly on Russian resources, which gives it a competitive advantage over other European countries. However, the important thing is not only to stop depending on Russia, but to depend less on external resources in general, replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources.
Latika M. Bourke, in turn, wanted to know more about Spain's efforts to increase its influence in Asia. The Secretary of State explained the need to have a strategy with India and China, countries that account for more than 17% of global GDP. Therefore, if a state does not have active policies toward these economic giants, "it does not have a serious strategy." This is why Spain seeks to maintain a balanced diplomatic and economic presence in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, understanding that its influence depends largely on its membership in the European Union. The European bloc represents 450 million people and around 16% of global GDP. This dimension allows for more balanced negotiations and interactions with powers like China, something that Spain or any other European country could not achieve alone.
Regarding the European Union, he highlighted the difficulties of decision-making in Brussels, where multiple actors are involved: the member states, the Parliament, the Commission, and its various technical services. The Leaders also asked about the diplomatic relationship between Spain and the United States, which has been marred by disagreements on issues such as the percentage of GDP that should be invested in NATO. The meeting participants also analyzed the war in Ukraine and Spain's role, as well as possible future scenarios. Another topic discussed was the migration issue: what is Spain's policy on this matter and how does it differ from other European countries.
Meeting Attendees
Diego Martínez Belío, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs
María Victoria Rodríguez Román, Secretary General of the Spain-Australia Council Foundation
Luis Fonseca Sánchez, Director General for North America, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific
María Luisa Benítez-Donoso, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs
