The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, held a high-level political debate in Madrid entitled "Spain, the EU and Asia-Pacific in a Changing Global Order." The objective was not only to analyze how Spain can implement its strategy in the region, but also to examine what is needed to build lasting influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The meeting was opened by Luis Fonseca, Director General for North America, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Carla Hobbs, Director of the ECFR's Madrid office and Policy Analyst. The day's sessions then took place. The first, entitled "Cooperation in Security and Defense," featured presentations by María Castillo Fernández, EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific; and María Elena Gómez Castro, Ambassador on Special Mission for the Indo-Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nanae Baldauff, Senior Research Fellow at the NATO Defense College and Research Fellow at the United Nations University's Comparative Studies Institute for Regional Integration (UNU-CRIS); and Juan de la Cueva, Director of Business Development at Navantia, participated in the session. Manisha Reuter, Deputy Director of the ECFR's Asia Programme, served as moderator.
This session analyzed how Spain and the European Union can contribute to stability in the Indo-Pacific, a strategic area marked by increasing rivalry, maritime frictions, and hybrid threats. It also explored how cyber alliances, defense diplomacy, and the internationalization of the Spanish defense industry can support capability development and strengthen Europe's commitment to security in the region.
The second session, entitled "Economic Security and Strategic Diversification," analyzed how diversifying markets and supply chains, cooperating on the green and digital transitions, accessing essential raw materials, and technological collaboration can strengthen both Spanish and European resilience, while fostering a more balanced interdependence with Asian economies. Participants included Marta Blanco Quesada, President of the CEOE International Commission; Aitor Montesa Lloreda, Deputy Director for Southeast Asia at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade; and Miguel Otero-Iglesias, Senior Research Fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute. The session was moderated by Andrew Small, Director of the ECFR's Asia Programme, who also delivered the closing remarks.
Among the attendees was Berta Fuertes, Director of the Spain-India Council Foundation. Also in attendance were José Pintor Aguilar, general director of our patron Casa Asia, as well as representatives of important companies and institutions such as Inés Arco, researcher at CIDOB; Eva Borreguero, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid; the Deputy Director of Public Affairs at BBVA, Miguel Arroyos; Beatriz de Guindos, Director of Knowledge and Content at ICEX; María Teresa Nonay, Director of Strategy and Planning at Enagás; the Director of Digital Public Policies at Telefónica, Paloma Villa Mateos; among others.
