South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Spain on a working visit from 16 to 18 April 2026. The visit centres on his participation in the In Defence of Democracy Initiative, an audience with King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Royal Palace in Madrid, and bilateral talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Barcelona.
This is President Ramaphosa’s first visit to Spain. He is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau.
On 17 April, President Ramaphosa was received by King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Royal Palace in Madrid. The meeting included lunch and provided an opportunity to review the current state of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Discussions covered areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, renewable energy, the digital economy, tourism, and multilateralism.
In Defence of Democracy Initiative
The In Defence of Democracy Initiative was jointly launched by Brazil and Spain in 2024. The initiative was created to address the rise of extremism, polarisation, and disinformation that threatened democratic institutions. Its first meeting took place during the 2024 United Nations General Assembly.
President Ramaphosa is scheduled to deliver remarks at the plenary session on Extremism and Inequality in Barcelona on 18 April. He will also engage with the Global Progressive Mobilisation Group on the margins of the initiative, along with leaders including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi, and European Council President António Costa.
Trade and Investment Focus
In Madrid, President Ramaphosa addressed the South Africa–Spain Business Forum and held engagements with Spanish companies as part of South Africa’s ongoing investment drive. He also met with Spanish business leaders to discuss opportunities for renewable energy, water solutions, investment cooperation, sustainable infrastructure, steel manufacturing capacity, industrialisation, and export growth. President Ramaphosa held a series of one-on-one meetings with senior executives of major Spanish companies in Madrid.
Bilateral trade between South Africa and Spain rose from US$ 2.9 billion in 2024 to USD 3.1 billion in 2025. Over the past decade, more than 150 Spanish companies have invested in South Africa, creating over 20,000 jobs. South Africa is also the leading destination for Spanish investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 37 per cent of the total.
Ahead of the visit, President Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly newsletter on 13 April 2026: “We continue with our outward investment missions in search of new markets and to consolidate existing trade ties. We continue to convene structured business forums on the sidelines of bilateral engagements, including state visits and bi-national commissions.”
Background
The visit follows Prime Minister (PM) Sánchez’s official visit to South Africa in October 2022, during which a reciprocal invitation was extended to President Ramaphosa. PM Sánchez returned to South Africa in November 2025 for the G20 Johannesburg Summit during South Africa’s G20 presidency. The two governments have also cooperated on international legal matters.
