"Our determination is that Spain continues to be perceived abroad as a reliable partner and as a place of opportunities," said the minister, during his speech before more than 60 representatives of companies from both countries. He added that "currently 80% of the activity of the large Spanish infrastructure groups takes place outside our country."
Ábalos has stressed the importance of internationalization for companies in our country and has highlighted the high level of technology, its high management capacity and proven experience in infrastructure. The minister stressed that Spain treasures the first European network of high-capacity roads (more than 17,000 km), the world's second high-speed network (more than 3,500 km of roads), the first European power in container port movement, and has Aena mentioned as the world's first airport manager (336 million passengers in 2018).
In this sense, the United Kingdom has become a booming market for Spanish companies, which have a portfolio of more than 100 projects in the infrastructure sector, with a total value of more than 44,000 million euros, so that the minister has stressed that "from the Ministry of Development we want to help them continue to open markets and maintain the expansion of the foreign sector."
Committed to sustainable mobility
In his speech, Ábalos has prioritized the fact of ensuring quality mobility, safe, sustainable, connected, accessible and respectful of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In addition, the minister has called, both administrations and companies, to carry out a management that meets the new demands of citizens linked to the sustainability of the planet and the arrival of a new technological generation that includes interconnectivity and artificial intelligence applied to mobility.
Prior to his intervention in this II Forum, the head of the Department has held a meeting with representatives of Spanish companies with whom he has dealt with his current situation and future expectations and to whom he has transmitted the Government's support for his internationalization and tranquility before the possible new scenario that arises after Brexit.
Finally, the head of the Department has had a meeting with the correspondents of the media present in London.
Thus ends the stay of the minister in the British capital where, yesterday, Ábalos participated in the inauguration of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and held bilateral meetings with the IMO Secretary General, Kitack Lim, and with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdelkader Amara.