Israel to Get Observer Status at African Union

ADDIS ABABA – Israel will be joining the African Union as an observer state, its foreign ministry announced on Thursday.

Israel’s ambassador to Addis Ababa, Aleleign Admasu, submitted Israel’s charter as an observer member to the 55-member continental organization.

“This is a day of celebration for Israeli-Africa relations,” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said in the statement.
“This diplomatic achievement is the result of efforts by the Foreign Ministry, the African Division

and Israeli embassies on the continent,” Lapid said. “This is a corrective step to the anomaly that has prevailed for almost two decades and is an important part of strengthening Israel’s foreign relations fabric.”

Israel currently has diplomatic relations with 46 of the AU’s 55 members. Last year, it normalized relations with both Morocco and Sudan.

Israel enjoyed observer status in the predecessor Organization of African Unity (OAU) until 2002, when the organization dissolved itself and became the African Union (AU).

Following the formal establishment of Israel’s observer status with the African Union, the parties will be able to cooperate, among other things, in the fight against Corona and the prevention of the spread of extremist terrorism throughout the continent, according to Israeli’s foreign minister.