Netanyahu announces official visit to Chad as ties warm

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to fly to Chad Saturday night, the first visit by an Israeli leader to the country, to mark the renewal of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post .

Netanyahu will meet with President Idriss Déby, who came to Israel in a historic visit last November.

'This is another diplomatic breakthrough,' Netanyahu said at the time. 'This is a historic and important visit that comes against the background of efforts that we have led. I welcome the president of Chad on his arrival to Israel.'

Since becoming the first Israeli prime minister in July 2016 to visit Africa in some three decades, Netanyahu has place improved ties with Africa high on the country's diplomatic agenda.

This trip will mark Netanyahu's fourth visit to Africa.

Chad – which has found itself on the front lines in the battle against Islamic extremists – severed ties with Israel in 1972 after coming under intense pressure from its Arab neighbors, Libya and Sudan. Chad is a member of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Contacts with Chad about re-establishing diplomatic ties have been taking place intermittently since then Foreign Ministry director-general Dore Gold went to the country and met Déby shortly after Netanyahu's visit to Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda in 2016.

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