United for Humanity: Spain’s First Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy
The Spanish Government has recently, and for the first time, implemented a humanitarian diplomacy strategy that seeks to place the protection of people at the core of every crisis and discussion, making the country, along with Jordan and its strategy for Syrian refugees, one of the pioneers in the field. This new approach demonstrates how the atmosphere of conflict prevailing in the international system, with a strong epicentre in Europe, has prompted a turning point in policy-making where the protection of the most vulnerable has become the centrepiece of diplomacy. The strategy, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, and drafted in collaboration with other public authorities, gives Spain a leading role in terms of protection, prevention and mediation for the civilian population.
The strategy has a clear structure, with three key goals structured around 14 pillars. The first objective of the strategy focuses on conflict prevention and resolution. The Spanish Government’s commitment to reducing the suffering of the population has been driven by the emergence of numerous humanitarian crises, which have generated the need to turn the situation around in order to eliminate as quickly as possible the threats that these disasters generate for the more vulnerable. As Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has stated, the illegal aggression of Ukraine, the food crisis in the Sahel and the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, are examples that highlight the need to adopt a humanitarian diplomacy strategy. To achieve the first objective, the Ministry has developed a set of measures that should be incorporated and implemented, such as preventive diplomacy, non-proliferation, and counter-terrorism strategies, among others. The intensity and gravity of the humanitarian crises across the globe have imposed standards for the implementation of certain measures aimed at ensuring the security and protection of the population.
The second objective of the humanitarian diplomacy strategy is to promote the respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL). It stresses the importance of taking appropriate legal action to protect the civilian population against aggressors and to bring the perpetrators of violence to justice. It is highly relevant to mention that the core of International Law is respect for its rules, because without it, the international community will have no protection. The absence of a higher authority in this area of law demonstrates the need for states to follow and respect international law internationally for it to be effective. The Spanish Government has demonstrated this by making respect for international law its second objective of the humanitarian diplomacy strategy. As José Manuel Albares pointed out, respect for IHL must be demanded in every armed conflict. The place of the International Criminal Court should never be questioned, and its position in the legal order should be strengthened to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes and protect the most vulnerable. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has elaborated on these topics through the different pillars that will ensure the promotion of respect for IHL, namely the prosecution of heinous crimes, the fight against impunity and accountability, the protection of medical missions and of boys and girls in armed conflicts. All these pillars have the same objective: to give IHL the place it deserves in the legal system, so that crimes can be prosecuted and humanity protected.
The final objective of the strategy is the protection of people in vulnerable situations. The protection of every human being, regardless of gender or race, is sought, demonstrating that all individuals must be treated equally. This is an important shift towards development and equality in diversity, illustrating the importance of every human being, and representing, as José Manuel Albares stated, Spain’s feminist foreign policy. The final objective demonstrates that, in order to protect humanity, equality must be pursued to avoid distinctions between citizens by eliminating any possibility of leaving certain sectors of the population unprotected. Put differently, this strategy serves as evidence to support the point that everyone has the right to be protected and should feel as such, regardless of personal conditions.
Nevertheless, this strategy also confronts several challenges that Spain will have to address. If in theory it appears to be the solution to some of the world’s issues, in practice the strategy could face serious problems of effectiveness. Although a powerful initiative, the strategy needs to be developed and put into practice so that its successes and failures can be assessed in a coherent way. For now, it mainly reflects a desire to change things and support the most vulnerable.
“It is the first Spanish Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy. It makes us one of the first countries in the world to adopt such a strategy.” Source: Twitter, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
As it has been demonstrated, the development of the humanitarian diplomacy strategy has placed Spain as a protagonist in the protection of the human rights of the world's population. The development of this strategy demonstrates Spain’s willingness, predisposition and commitment to aid those in need when circumstances require humanitarian assistance. As analysed above, the strategy has achieved this by delineating the three main arguments that should guide the diplomatic practice: conflict prevention and resolution, respect for IHL, and protection of the vulnerable, while providing the necessary pillars to succeed. If the crises we are currently experiencing have demonstrated anything, it is that unity can achieve the unexpected, and Spain’s first humanitarian diplomacy strategy is an example of this. Traditional diplomacy has been shown not to have the capacity and ability to reduce tensions when the situation demands it. The war in Ukraine was a determining factor which, on the one hand, demonstrated that developments in the international system were too complicated to be managed by conventional means and, on the other, revealed the stagnation of political capacity in Europe to deal with war. The development of the Spanish Government’s strategy shows that adopting a humanitarian focus to deal with security issues could be the solution to avoid unnecessary suffering, and could shape conflict-resolution practices in the future. All in all, the humanitarian diplomacy strategy is a new step which, if pursued correctly by prioritising the interests of the most vulnerable, could help to strengthen the idea of peace in the world, by bringing the actors of the international community closer to humanity.