Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his counterpart from the Ivory Coast, Kandia Camara, signed a framework agreement on Thursday in the fields of agriculture, water and technology.
Cohen led a business delegation in the fields of cyber, agriculture and energy to the Israel-Ivory Coast Economic Forum in the West African nation.
“Both of our countries face the threat of terrorism, especially the spread of Hezbollah, Iran’s terrorist arm,” said Cohen.
“In my talks with senior government officials in the Ivory Coast, we agreed to share Israeli knowledge on legal, financial and intelligence issues. Israel [is also] providing the latest of its knowledge in the fields of agriculture for the benefit of the people of the Ivory Coast. The economic forum that I opened with the Israeli business delegation will greatly contribute to increasing trade between the two countries,” added Cohen.
On Wednesday, Cohen met with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey in Accra, in a bid to strengthen Israel’s position within the African Union.
Akufo-Addo said that Ghana would “always be a friend of the State of Israel and we will support its position as an observer in the African Union.”
He added, “I warmly welcome the activity of Israeli companies in Ghana and we will continue to encourage more and more cooperation between the countries for the benefit of the nations.”
Earlier this month, Cohen met with a senior official of an African Muslim country with no diplomatic ties to the Jewish state.
The development occurred in the context of Israel’s push to expand the Abraham Accords and counter Iranian influence in Africa. The Foreign Ministry told Ynet News that “normalization contacts are being held with several African countries, including Niger, Mali and Mauritania.”
The meeting took place during a 10-hour visit to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi at the invitation of the African nation’s president, William Ruto, and foreign minister, Alfred Mutua. While there, the top Israeli diplomat attended the African Union’s Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.