Diplomacy of the Gift: The Unique Gesture of Pedro Sánchez towards King Mohammed VI

Behind the smiles and the ceremonial handshakes, the gifts offered by Pedro Sánchez tell a very different story. Since his inauguration in November 2023, the head of the Spanish executive has spent more than 14,000 euros on various gifts, with an average bill of 335 euros per gesture. While the practice is common in chancelleries, it serves as a real barometer to measure the temperature of bilateral relations. In this game of influence, the Moroccan sovereign occupies a special place, having received in February 2024 a handmade wooden fountain pen. This is a rare privilege because, while Pedro Sánchez readily distributes writing instruments during his travels, Mohammed VI is the only one to have received a craft piece of this caliber.

The contrast is striking with other foreign leaders. During his tour of the Middle East in the fall of 2023, Pedro Sánchez left no souvenir to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamín Netanyahu, while he handed a porcelain chess set to Egyptian President Abdelfatah El-Sisi. At the other end of the scale, Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to be the most pampered. Due to his annual visits, the Moncloa teams have to redouble their imagination not to repeat themselves, going so far as to offer him sliced ham or olive oil in precious wooden boxes.

For the other heavyweights on the international scene, the Spanish president often uses a sure value: collections of coins celebrating Picasso’s anniversary. This is how the American President Joe Biden, Pope Francis, and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been honored. Porcelain chess sets have also been given to the leaders of Mauritania and Iraq. More recently, during a tour of Africa, the Presidents of Senegal and Mauritania received photographs of Spanish architecture on specific media, confirming a meticulously measured gift diplomacy where each object is chosen to send a precise message.