Photo Credit: Kobi Gideon / GPO
PM Netanyahu with ECOWAS President Marcel Alain de Souza in Jerusalem

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves Saturday night for a diplomatic-economic visit to Liberia, according to a statement by his office.

Among the agreements the prime minister’s expected to sign is a joint statement between Israel and ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States*, emphasizing the commitment to enhance relations between Israel and the organization in a wide variety of areas: agriculture, desertification and climate change, water, trade, education, health, homeland security, cyber and communications, energy, culture, and science. In addition, Israel and ECOWAS will declare their cooperation in the fight against terror.

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Netanyahu will also sign a general Israel-ECOWAS memorandum of understanding (MOU) that is aimed at defining a framework for areas of cooperation and dialogue between the sides, and to advance economic and technical cooperation and assistance.

In addition, the prime minister will sign an agreement to implement the Israel-ECOWAS understandings regarding international cooperation on:
1. Food security and alleviating poverty;
2. Agriculture, rural development, water resources development and anti-desertification;
3. Training and professional guidance for both ECOWAS commission personnel and from member states.

Netanyahu will be accompanied by Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely and MK Avraham Neguise.

This visit to west Africa follows Prime Minister Netanyahu’s successful visit to east Africa last year; the goal is to strengthen ties with the African continent. In October Prime Minister Netanyahu is to visit Togo for an Africa-Israel conference where he is slated to meet with many African heads of state.

*The Economic Community of West African States has defined the region of West Africa since 1999 as including the following 15 states:

BENIN
BURKINA FASO
CABO VERDE
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
The GAMBIA
GHANA
GUINEA
GUINEA BISSAU
LIBERIA
MALI
NIGER
NIGERIA
SENEGAL
SIERRA LEONE
TOGO
ECOWAS Permament and Special Reps.

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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.