Foreign minister departs for Zambia to inaugurate new embassy

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar departs today for a diplomatic visit to Zambia, where he will inaugurate Israel’s embassy in the southern African nation, his office says in a statement.

During the trip, Sa’ar will meet with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe, and Speaker of Parliament Nelly Mutti to discuss “a series of initiatives” aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

The inauguration ceremony at the embassy is scheduled for tomorrow, and “marks an important step in deepening bilateral ties with Zambia,” the statement adds, saying that the move “forms part of a broader initiative to expand and strengthen relations with African nations,” one of Sa’ar’s “strategic goals” for the ministry this year.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel also recently traveled to South Sudan.

En route to Zambia, Sa’ar will also stop in Addis Ababa to meet with his Ethiopian counterpart, Gedion Timotheos, his fourth meeting with the minister since taking office.

The statement notes that Israel previously had an embassy in Zambia in the 1960s and 1970s after the country gained independence from Britain, but later closed it as part of a broader reduction of its diplomatic missions across Africa.

Zambia reopened its embassy in Israel in 2015. Sa’ar announced plans in January to reopen Israel’s mission in the capital of Lusaka, and the government appointed an ambassador to the country last month.