The South African Zionist Federation welcomes Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera’s comment, stating that his country intends to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
Historically many African countries have had their embassies in Jerusalem. This will be the first African nation to establish an embassy in Jerusalem in many decades and we are hoping that this will pave the way for other African countries to follow suit. Malawi has had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1964 and refused to sever relations with the Jewish state, despite the pressure following the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
With continual and growing ties with Israel, African countries are benefiting from the many offerings Israel has shared across a plethora of fields such as in agriculture, technology, and water solutions. The South African government should be encouraged by the moment of dialogue to take an active role in supporting engagement in the region for purposes of peace.
