Chad envoy visits Israel, pledges to open mission in Jerusalem

A senior Chadian delegation arrived in Israel yesterday and met with senior officials and expressed a willingness to open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, local media reported.

The delegation was headed by Abdelkerim Idriss Deby, the son of Chad’s President Idriss Deby, and the deputy director of Chad’s civil cabinet, the Jerusalem Post said.

Deby met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Times of Israel reported, adding he that he also met with the Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen.

Netanyahu’s spokesperson Mark Regev confirmed that Netanyahu met with the son of Chad’s leader, giving no more details.

Meanwhile, according to the Times of Israel, a spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the visit of the Chadian delegation had been organised by the National Security Council, not the Foreign Ministry.

During his meeting with Cohen, Deby said that his country would open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, confirming earlier reports which were denied by Netanyahu’s spokesman.

READ: Israeli delegation ‘discreetly’ visits Chad

Cohen said that Deby “expressed willingness” to open a mission, adding that they also decided to “deepen the security cooperation” between Chad and Israel.

The Israeli Intelligence Minister also said that they agreed on sending a business delegation from Israel to Chad in order to promote economic projects in agriculture and minerals.

During his meetings with the Israeli officials, Deby praised the UAE-Israeli normalisation deal which was announced last month.

Chad, along with 30 African countries, broke off its relations with Israel in 1973.

In 2018, the first Chadian president visited Israel and Netanyahu visited Chad the following year.