ABSTRACT
The role of development co-operation and humanitarian action in national foreign policy has undergone important changes in the last decade. In the case of Spain, an active policy of co-operation has permitted the widening and strengthening of the country's links with European colleagues and, in a different manner, with Latin American countries and the Mediterranean region. Contributions to this growth have come both from the transformation of public administration in Spain and an increasing awareness and participation on the part of society through NGOs. In a decentralized state such as Spain, the autonomous regions and many local authorities have found in development co-operation a vehicle that gives them a presence abroad. At the same time, the participation of Spain's armed forces in numerous peace missions has contributed to the legitimation of their role and improvements in their social image, as well as giving Spain a greater presence in international fora.
