Sierra Leone prepared to open Israel embassy in Jerusalem

Sierra Leone is prepared to establish an embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, its president announced on X, formally Twitter.

In a tweet, President Julius Maada Bio referred to the “warm relations” between the two countries, adding that he had had “a progressive telephone conversation” with Israel’s Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, yesterday.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio had a progressive telephone conversation with @elicoh1, the Foreign Minister of the State of #Israel, today, August 24, 2023.

They discussed the warm relations between both countries that dates back to 1961 when #SierraLeone gained… pic.twitter.com/cJuzcISbvK

— Presidency | Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 (@Presidency_SL) August 24, 2023

Adding that he “expressed his government’s readiness to establish an Embassy of Sierra Leone in #Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel.”

Formal diplomatic ties between the two nations were established in 1961 when Sierra Leone gained independence. Nevertheless, the West African country does not currently maintain a diplomatic mission in Israel.

Cohen welcomed the move, responding in a statement: “I was pleased to hear from the president of Sierra Leone of his intentions to open an embassy in Jerusalem. We continue to put Jerusalem, our eternal capital, at the top of the State of Israel’s diplomatic agenda.”

It comes a week after Paraguay announced its plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of the year. To date, only four countries have embassies in Jerusalem; Kosovo, Honduras, Guatemala and the United States.

READ: Paraguay consolidates its historical ties with Israeli colonialism and indigenous repression