Israel opens its first Embassy in Rwanda

Israel opens its first Embassy in Rwanda

New Israeli ambassador, Ron Adam, said after a meeting with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, “This country shares a lot of comparabilities with state of Israel and offers a lot of ground for mutual cooperation.”

 

Israel opened its first embassy in Rwanda on 22nd Feb 2019, offering support to the East Africa nation from health to education and agriculture, as well as communication technology including cybersecurity.

 

Adam, a career diplomat who has worked previously at the United Nations in Geneva and New York, introduced his credentials to the Rwandan president.

 

The two countries, both with histories largely defined by genocide, already have close ties, including being involved in a controversial 2018 deal that sought to deport African refugees and asylum seekers from Israel.

 

Rwanda, a largely Christian nation, has said it is determined to support tourists to the country, particularly to see its famous mountain gorillas.

 

Israel already has strong ties across East Africa, especially in Uganda and Kenya, but is developing its diplomatic presence on the continent.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made enlarging and developing ties in Africa one of his important foreign policy objectives.

 

“I’ve been in Africa four times in the last two years, that’s gotta tell you something,” Netanyahu told American-Jewish leaders.

“There is a tremendous change… in Israel’s acceptance around the world, by just about every country,” he said.

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