Pedro Sánchez, to international investors: "Amid the current global turmoil, Spain is a true safe haven"

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during the inauguration of the 'Invest in Spain Summit' forum (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, encouraged international investors to invest in Spain because "amid the current global turmoil, Spain is a true safe haven," thanks to the combination of "balanced growth and economic dynamism, resilience in the face of crises, and increasingly solid public finances," offering "stability and profitability," which "makes Spain a safe bet and a growing investment."

He made these remarks during the opening of the second edition of the Invest in Spain Summit, an international forum organised by ICEX Spain Export and Investment at the Teatro Real in Madrid, with executives from more than 75 multinational companies from 25 countries in attendance. The opening ceremony was also attended by the First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, Óscar López

Addressing the international investors present at the event, the head of the Executive emphasised that "of the five largest European economies, none other is capable of combining our formula with such success: record growth, dynamic employment, a green agenda, first-rate infrastructure, top-notch public services, and an unwavering commitment to openness and talent." Sánchez recalled that last year Spain created more than half of the jobs in the European Union, with only one-tenth of its population, and was the fastest-growing economy among the five largest in Europe, while continuing to address challenges such as further reducing unemployment and, above all, facilitating access to housing.

Spain offers "stability and long-term profitability"

Pedro Sánchez warned that "we live in a turbulent and uncertain world" because "geopolitics has become a destabilising factor, not only for the economy, but also for the peace and prosperity of our people." He referred to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the sharp increase in commodity prices, the "roller coaster" of major global stock market indices, and the change in the behaviour of assets traditionally considered safe havens, with gold having fallen by almost 10% since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, and the depreciation of the dollar since last summer.

In this context, he pointed out that Spain can offer long-term stability and profitability, since "amid the current global turmoil, Spain is a true safe haven." "Imagine, for a moment, that Spain were a publicly traded company. If you had invested one dollar in 1960, today you would have 160 in return. No other European economy, except Ireland, has achieved such a return, and none has done so with the strength and fundamentals of our country," he told the investors present, explaining that Spain started "from behind and we had to accelerate, but, above all, we know where we are going."

Spain is set to lead European growth for five consecutive years

In this way, he emphasised that, in the current "period of turbulence, Spain is the best travel companion" for three reasons. Spain continues to create wealth, jobs, higher per capita income, and social progress, in a "highly volatile and uncertain" context. According to the International Monetary Fund, the Spanish economy will lead European growth for five consecutive years, in addition to a record 22 million people employed, a record number of women in the workforce, foreign workers, and people over 55 employed. And this, with "more labour rights, better wages, fewer emissions, and more investment in education than ever before," Sánchez stressed.

Better prepared to face the "worst energy crisis in history"

The second reason cited by the president is that in Spain "we are better prepared than any other major European economy to face the worst energy crisis in history," thanks to seven regasification plants and eight "competitive and flexible" refineries. This capacity allows for diversification of gas and oil supplies and "is due to the firm commitment to the green transition." "We have gone from being a fossil fuel colony to becoming a renewable energy metropolis. Our country has enormous natural potential, and we are making the most of it," he explained.

As a result, Spain has "the greatest energy resilience and security of supply in Europe," and the price of energy is now an "advantage that attracts industrial and data centre investment," compared to the "burden on competitiveness" it previously was. In this regard, he pointed out that electricity futures for 2027 are 50% lower than in the Netherlands, 57% lower than in Germany, and 73% lower than in Italy. He also noted that the government is protecting households and businesses with "the largest energy tax cut of €2.5 billion, and the largest stimulus package on the continent, worth €5 billion."

Responsible fiscal policy

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, at the opening of the 'Invest in Spain Summit', together with the Ministers for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, and for Industry and Tourism | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Finally, the third reason to invest in Spain is its "responsible" fiscal policy, since "while global public debt is approaching 100% of GDP, ours is about to fall below that level for the first time since the pandemic," and "for the first time in 16 years, Spain will have less debt than the global average and its first primary surplus in a generation." "This is the trilogy-balanced growth, economic dynamism, resilience to crises, and sound public finances-that makes Spain a safe bet, and more and more investors are recognising this," he celebrated.

Pedro Sánchez reviewed Spain's investment figures. It is the world's fourth-largest destination for foreign direct investment and the leading country in Europe. Furthermore, "while other major economies are receiving fewer projects, Spain registered a 15% increase last year. The stock of foreign investment has been growing for a decade. As a result, international companies are creating two million jobs in our country," and "today, foreign direct investment represents around 10% of total employment, similar to the entire manufacturing industry and double that of construction." Specifically, he stressed that "investment has become a key driver of our economy: it contributed to almost half of the growth in the last quarter of 2025, one of the biggest transformations of our production model." All of this, he remarked, is thanks to the fact that "Spain, in addition to its privileged geographical position and balanced international policy," offers legal certainty, a competitive environment, and a stable institutional framework, which we will continue to improve."

Spain Grows Sovereign Wealth Fund and Strategic Investment Committee

The president highlighted the launch of a new Strategic Investment Committee to accelerate major projects and the launch of the España Crece (Spain Grows) Sovereign Wealth Fund, which will mobilise up to €120 billion, focusing on the green transition, digital transformation, and housing. In this regard, he noted that Spain is the second country in the world in clean energy and electric mobility projects, leads the way in green hydrogen in the European Union, and is strengthening its electricity grid, with a projected 62% increase in investment for the grid plan. Furthermore, Spain hosts one in four hydrogen projects in the European Union and has secured funding for seven strategic projects in the first call for proposals on critical infrastructure. "If you want to invest in fossil fuels, knock on another door. In Spain, the door is green," he declared.

500 million awarded from the PERTE for industrial decarbonisation

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during the inauguration of the 'Invest in Spain Summit' forum | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The President of the Government of Spain has made it clear that the Government's commitment to the green transition and decarbonisation "is unwavering." As proof of this, he announced today the awarding of more than €500 million to 18 projects in the second call for Strategic Projects (PERTE) for Industrial Decarbonisation, a provisional resolution from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, through the State Society for Industrial Promotion and Business Development (Sepides), whose call was announced at the National Industry Congress in February. Regarding the digital transition, he emphasised that "Spain has all the conditions to become the 'hub,' the digital centre of the European Union: we have affordable energy, talent, infrastructure, and institutional support." The use of AI has reached 42%, surpassing Italy and Germany, and he announced that Spain will host the largest European event on quantum technologies in 2026, becoming a leader in neurotechnology. "European digital sovereignty is a strategic necessity, and the path to it passes through our country," he underscored.

With regard to housing, the President of the Government of Spain stated that "Spain, like Europe, cannot grow if workers cannot afford to live where growth is generated," since "the housing shortfall is not only a burden for young people; it is an economic brake, hindering mobility, talent, and productivity." Therefore, he stressed the objective of eliminating this shortfall, explaining that the España Crece (Spain Grows) Fund will mobilise €23 billion to expand the supply of rental housing and build 15,000 homes annually. This comes after the Government approved the National Housing Plan 2026-2030 last week, allocating €7 billion to construction, renovation, and maintenance. Finally, he added that there are "great opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector," as Spain will be the sixth largest market in the world and a leader in medical innovation.

"The best place in the world to live and invest"

"Spain is stable like few other places and is full of opportunities", summarised Pedro Sánchez, who expressed his intention to extend the Spanish model to the rest of the European Union to achieve a "Europe of investment opportunities for all." "Some nations use many masks to hide their true identity. In contrast, Spain shows itself to the world as it is. If you get sick, a public healthcare system will take care of you, no matter where you come from or how much money you have. If something happens to you, people here will help you, even if they've never met you before. If you want to invest, you'll find stability. And if you decide to stay, you'll enjoy the same rights and obligations as any other citizen," he stressed.

"Here, no one is excluded, talent is welcome, and the true values of humanity and society flourish. That is Spain's success: a hardworking, welcoming, and creative nation. The best place in the world to live, the best place to invest. No masks, no filters, just opportunities," he concluded.

Meetings with Alstom Europe and Dow

The First Vice-President of the Government and Minister for Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, speaks at the 'Invest in Spain Summit' | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

For his part, the First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, stated at the event that "Spain is prepared to face the challenges of our generation": energy transition, reindustrialisation of Europe, digital infrastructure, supply chain security, and the integration of AI into the productive economy. "We have one of the largest renewable energy access and capacity ratings in Europe, one of the largest fibre optic networks in the OECD, airports along the Atlantic-Mediterranean corridor, and intangible assets: building bridges between continents, quality of life and security, a strong rule of law, and the capacity to be leaders in many sectors such as renewables, trade, and banking," he noted.

Prior to the opening ceremony, and within the framework of the forum, the President of the Government of Spain held separate meetings with the President of Alstom Europe, Andrew DeLeone, and the Vice President of Operations for Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East at Dow, Jaume Sariol, accompanied by the First Vice-President, Carlos Cuerpo, and the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu.

In the first meeting, Pedro Sánchez discussed with the President of Alstom Europe the company's strategy in Spain and the commitments made in recent years. Regarding the meeting with the Vice President of Operations for Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East at Dow, they analysed the challenges facing the chemical industry in Spain.

Non official translation