Albares met with members of the Council of Arab Ambassadors based in Madrid, amidst concerns regarding the announcement by Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida to evict Casa Arabe from the headquarters it has occupied for 20 years.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry noted that the Foreign Minister reaffirmed his willingness to work with the Madrid City Council so it might reconsider this decision, and stated he is still awaiting a response to a letter requesting a meeting to address the current situation.

The capital’s City Council has been part of the Governing Council and has always participated in all decisions regarding the administration and management of Casa Arabe made collectively by that body, the ministry specified.

Furthermore, the head of Spanish diplomacy shared with the ambassadors his surprise at a decision announced without dialogue or prior notice, coming at a time when Spain enjoys the best relations in its history with Arab nations.

Earlier this week, the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Madrid sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry championing the work of Casa Árabe and advocating for its continued presence at its current location.

Mayor Almeida, of the conservative People’s Party (PP), insisted that the commitment to the Arab world remains “solid” and that Casa Arabe is being reclaimed out of “responsibility regarding municipal assets.” However, as part of his repeated attacks on the incumbent left-wing government, he criticized the management of an official whom he described as “Pedro Sanchez’s biographer.”

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