Malawi to be the first African state to open an embassy in Jerusalem

Making it the first African state to do so, Malawi has announced plans to open an embassy in ‘Israel’ and place it in Jerusalem, Malawian Foreign Minister Eisenhower Mkaka announced Tuesday evening, in a video statement during a visit to ‘Israel’.
“I welcomed Malawi Foreign Minister Eisenhower Mkaka to Jerusalem this evening and thanked him for the message from President Lazarus Chakwera that Malawi is to become the 1st African country to open an embassy in Jerusalem,” Gabi Ashkenazi, Israel’s Foreign Minister, tweeted.
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I welcomed Malawi FM @EisenhowerMkaka to #Jerusalem this evening and thanked him for the message from President @LAZARUSCHAKWERA that Malawi is to become the 1st African country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/VLeXmiqDL4— גבי אשכנזי – Gabi Ashkenazi (@Gabi_Ashkenazi) November 3, 2020
“Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the State of Israel, will be a bridge of peace for the whole world, and I call on more countries to follow in Malawi’s path and move their embassies to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel,” Mkaka said.
Mkaka also hailed “Israel’s historic normalization” deals with the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan, saying their signing “represents a shift in paradigm in the Middle East,” and marking the start of a “new era” in the region.
Malawi is one of the few African states with which Israel has had continuous diplomatic relations. It has provided Malawi with aid, especially in agriculture, for many years.
Delighted to see my friend Minister @EisenhowerMkaka visiting Inosselia AgroAfrica, a company utilizing #Israeli 🇮🇱farming tech: a game changer in #FoodProduction in 🇲🇼 This cooperation in agriculture is geared towards ensuring #FoodSecurity & self-sufficiency for #Malawi 👨🌾🌱 pic.twitter.com/gGEZV25m3r
— Amb. Oded Joseph 🇮🇱 (@OdedJoseph) October 19, 2020
The embassy is expected to open by the end of 2021, as Israeli foreign ministry said.