Dore Gold in Guinea
Israeli diplomat secretly visits African country without diplomatic ties with Israel
Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General pays secret visit to African country on way back from state trip to Guinea which recently announced the renewal of diplomatic relations with Israel.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold paid a secret visit Monday to a Muslim country in Africa which does not currently have any diplomatic contact with Israel.
Gold conducted the swift visit on his return to Israel from Guinea—an African country which recently renewed diplomatic relations with Israel after 49 years. During his visit he also met with Guinea’s President Alpha Condé and a number of his ministers.
Dore Gold with Foreign Minister of Guinea Alpha Conde
The visit comes just one month after Gold visited Chad—which cut off ties with Israel in 1972—where he met with President Idriss Déby.
The visits to Africa came as part of an effort to reestablish relations with countries which broke off all ties in the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War.
The conversations which took place in Guinea mainly centered on the struggle against terror, agricultural cooperation, health, the struggle against the Ebola disease for which Israel provides assistance, energy and water and mutual assistance in international forum. Gold and the foreign minister concluded an agreement setting the wheels in motion for nominating ambassadors.
In July, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embarked on an historic diplomatic tour of African nations including Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
