Israeli ambassador presents credentials to Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, at bloc’s headquarters in Addis Ababa. After nearly 20 years of diplomatic efforts, Israel has attained observer status at the African Union (AU). “This is a day of celebration for Israel-Africa relations,” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement that noted that Israel currently 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. Palestine already has observer status at the AU, and Israeli diplomats have criticised recent AU statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Source: Ethiopian News July 23, 2021 09:56 UTC