ADDIS BABA: Israel after two decades of diplomatic efforts, has been managed to obtain observer status at the African Union (AU) as there are reports of festivity for strengthening of Israel-Africa relations. Making the move official, Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia, Burundi and Chad Aleli Admasu on Thursday presented his credentials to Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, at the bloc’s headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Soon after the announcement, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said: “This is a day of celebration for Israel-Africa relations.” In a statement he said that Israel now has relations with 46 African countries.
Israel previously held observer status at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), but was long thwarted in its attempts to get it back after the OAU was disbanded in 2002 and replaced by the AU.
“This corrects the anomaly that has existed for almost two decades and is an important part of strengthening the fabric of Israel’s foreign relations,” according to the foreign ministry’s statement.
In a separate statement, Faki stressed the AU’s position over the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reiterating the bloc’s stance that a two-state solution was “necessary for a peaceful co-existence”.
Palestine already has observer status at the AU.
