steviedeluxe

Interesting piece, from none other than Mariano Rajoy.

http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/04/04/...67_993347.html

agoreira

Can´t see your post, but can see the headline, read it a few days ago in the Spanish press. My initial thoughts then were that it needs to sort out it´s own economic prosperity long before it considers taking on the whole of Africa. Not sure Spain is in a position to help anyone financially, although perhaps it could redistribute the billions it has received from the EU, they surely can´t have spent all that. Wasn´t that long ago I read that Spain had cut it´s foreign aid budget to Africa by 70% in the last 4 years, so a good start!

Dick Dasterdly

What a load of TOTAL PAP.

Africa's future is already to a large degree in the hands of the Chinese and the way things are going it looks like Spain is going much the same way with the Chinese taking over just about anything and everything they can get their grubby mitts on.

They have little respect for what they regard as the Spanish feckless attitude to work and business which makes their progress so easy

Looks like Rajoy has joined his sidekick in the land of the fairies.

Maybe time he opened his eyes to what is happening right here under his nose before coming out with such a pile of old bull.

agoreira

Oxfam described Spain's humanitarian aid as "next to nothing(my translation!) and misguided". They have cut their budget by 70%, back to the figure they gave around 20 years ago. As usual Spain talks a good game, the reality will be very different.

andyrich666

Everyone should look after themselves first, it is next to nothing, one of the first things they cut, although I agree with that, as in the UK you can cut anything but they will just find something else to waste it on, that's a problem with public servants, bar the Police and health workers, they have no idea of real life, at least Farage does have some experience in that field in the private sector.

You could cut all the benefits out the UK but they would still waste the same money elsewhere, as do Spain.

It one of those things that really rials me but nothing you can really do about it, but what is the point as once its saved somewhere they will use it on some obscene purchases.

steviedeluxe

One of the points made is that Africa will (or should) be a good market for the West's goods, in the coming years.

So, according to the article (and of course many may not agree with his analysis), it's not a one-way street by any means..

agoreira

I don't have a problem with that, I'm all for it, whilst all manner of services are being cut in UK, we are still sending loads of dosh overseas. My post was to query how Spain by cutting it's oversea aid by 70% is going to help Africa achieve economic prosperity. Rajoy reckons Europe should promote an economic pact between Europe and Africa, so perhaps he's volunteering the other European countries to cough up whilst he scales back his aid?

amideislas

Spain will also cure cancer, discover how to generate megawatts of electrical power from frog sperm, and colonise Jupiter.

Dick Dasterdly

Well if Rajoy said so, I'm sure there's one character on here who would happily swallow it and spread the good word like wild-fire.