6 African nations launch pro-Israel caucuses to strengthen ties with Jewish state

New pro-Israel parliamentary caucuses have been established in six African countries – Ethiopia, Seychelles, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea-Conakry, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – in a move aimed at expanding and deepening diplomatic ties with Israel. This initiative marks one of the most significant upticks in Israel–Africa relations since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The caucuses were established following the inaugural Africa-Israel Parliamentary Summit held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa in 2024. During the summit, some 40 lawmakers from 20 African countries expressed their “friendship with ancient ties” to Israel. They proposed the “Queen of Sheba Accords,” a normalization agreement inspired by the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords signed by Israel and four Arab states in 2020.

The parliament affirmed Israel’s right to exist and recognized Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the Jewish state. The African officials also expressed strong interest in enhancing bilateral cooperation with Israel.

“I seek to deepen and broaden my nation’s relationship with Israel, the nation of God,” Reverend Member of Parliament Paul Pusetso Masiu, chair of the Lesotho Israel Allies Caucus, explained.

“The ultimate intention is to establish much stronger binational relations between Lesotho and Israel, to the extent that Lesotho establishes an embassy in Jerusalem and Israel in Lesotho,” Masiu added.

African parliamentary groups are particularly interested in strengthening ties with Israel in areas such as agriculture, innovation, technology, and counterterrorism – fields in which Israel has developed cutting-edge expertise. Many Christian African lawmakers are also eager to deepen shared biblical values and democratic ideals with the Jewish state.

Following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, most African countries severed ties with Israel under political pressure from Arab and Muslim states. In recent years, however, Israel–Africa relations have significantly improved. Israel now maintains diplomatic ties with 40 of Africa’s 54 countries and currently operates 13 embassies across the continent, with a 14th reportedly set to open next month in Zambia.

Rev. Dennis Nthumbi believes Christians in Africa will be blessed by boosting their relations with Israel

“These countries know the deserts of Africa will bloom again when they start blessing Israel,” Nthumbi said.

Nthumbi argues that Zionism, the Jewish national liberation movement, has been a source of inspiration for many African countries.

“Zionism was one of the greatest models for African nations to see that they could fight colonialism and establish self-rule,” he said. “A lot of African leaders relied on Israel for motivation.”

The rapid growth of Christianity in Africa has helped strengthen ties with the Holy Land. An estimated 50% of Africans identify as Christians, many of whom read the Bible and seek a deep spiritual connection with Israel.

“Right now, Africa is a strong Christian continent,” said Gedaliah Blum, co-founder of The Heartland Initiative, an Israeli NGO focused on building international partnerships to strengthen bonds between Israel and global allies.

Israel has a long history of offering assistance to African nations. In 1958, then-Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and Foreign Minister Golda Meir established MASHAV, an organization that would later share Israel’s expertise in agriculture and technology with African countries.

A growing number of African states have increased their support for Israel at the United Nations and other international forums. Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Togo and the Democratic Republic of Congo were among the first nations to condemn the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel.