2023-04-20 14:14:35
During his recent visit to Niger, Secretary of State Tony Blinken urged the country’s president to move towards normalizing relations with Israel, two US and Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Blinken’s previously undisclosed discussion with President Mohamed Bazoum regarding Israel is another sign the Biden administration is working behind the scenes to include more Arab and Muslim-majority countries in the agreements of Abraham.
At the heart of the news : Blinken’s trip to Niger in mid-March made him the first US secretary of state to visit the Muslim-majority West African country, which is emerging as a key partner for United States on security in the Sahel.
In the wings : Two weeks following his visit to Niger, Blinken spoke by phone with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen and briefed him on his talks, which were also attended by Nigerien Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou, Israeli officials and Americans.
Israeli officials said Cohen offered to invite Niger to participate in the Negev Forum, which includes the United States, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt.
Israeli officials have said Niger’s leaders are open to moving forward with warming ties with Israel and even restoring diplomatic ties, but they want some kind of deliverables from the Biden administration.
Niger’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
The State Department declined to comment.
Flashback : Israel had diplomatic relations with Niger in the 1960s, but they broke off in 1973. The two countries renewed their ties in 1996 following the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, but Niger cut ties once more in 2002 during the second Intifada.
In recent years, there have been informal relations between the countries, which have taken place mostly behind the scenes, Israeli officials said.
Since 2018, Israel has strengthened its ties in Africa, mainly in the Sahel. Israel has restored ties with Chad, started a process of normalization with Sudan and held secret talks on normalizing relations with Somalia.
Source :
Translation: Aïr-Info Agadez
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