Speech by President of the Government in his visit to the "Marfil" Spanish Air Force detachment

Dakar (Senegal)

Lieutenant-Colonel, ladies and gentlemen, a very good day to you all.

I would firstly like to thank you for what you are doing.

Yesterday I had the chance to be in Bamako, in Mali, with members of the Spanish Army who are helping train the Malian Army, a fundamental task. First and foremost, a country needs stability and security, then everything else will follow. Without stability and security, it is very difficult for other things to follow.

A short time ago, I was with some colleagues of yours from the Guardia Civil, here, in Dakar Port, and then with a Navy patrol vessel, and now I am here with all of you.

It is good for people in Spain to be aware of what Spaniards like yourselves are doing. The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the National Police Force and the Guardia Civil are all present here in Senegal and in Mali. And they are fighting for such important issues as combating the mafias that traffick in people and drugs, and combating terrorism.

Our country is here because that is our obligation, because we do this to benefit the people and also because this benefits both Spain and Europe. That is why there are also other European countries involved in this battle.

There is another battle being fought over the medium and long term, and precisely because it is a medium- and long-term battle it is the most urgent one of all, because it is the one that takes the longest, but one that will allow many countries to put the situation in which they find themselves behind them; namely that which is helping people to live better and for there to be more progress, well-being, training and knowledge.

Spain is a country which has traditionally made a major effort in terms of co-operation and I believe that it is our obligation to continue maintaining this policy into the future, because this will undoubtedly help to solve many of the problems that we are currently experiencing, along with those that may exist in the future.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank you, as the President of the Government of Spain, for what you are doing in defence of the interests of the Spanish people and of many other citizens around the world.

A short time ago I had the opportunity to attend a European Council following the serious events that you will have seen which took place off the coast of Libya, off the coast of Sicily, close to Lampedusa. We commented that what Spain was doing and what the Guardia Civil, the National Police Force and Army were doing here to help fight the people trafficking mafias, and what took place in the past but not now in the Canary Islands, which is undoubtedly a good example to follow. That should also make us all, as Spaniards, feel proud and all those that fight terrorism at such a difficult and complicated time as this.

I have really come here to tell you this, to thank you, and above, so that the people back in Spain know that there are many Spaniards fighting important battles in far-away places, and that this is a battle which is also affecting them.

Thank you very much.