(JNS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dedicated on Thursday the Embassy of the Republic of Chad together with the president of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno.

Netanyahu met on Wednesday in Jerusalem with the Chadian president.

“Israel and Chad established relations between our two countries with your late father. It is in our view a tremendously important relationship with a major country in the heart of Africa,” Netanyahu told the visiting leader on Wednesday.

“It is something that we want to carry to new levels, new heights, and your visit here in Israel and the opening of the embassy is a reflection of that.

“We believe that our cooperation can help not only advance our relations, but it is also part of Israel’s coming back to Africa and Africa coming back to Israel. We have common goals of security, prosperity and stability,” he added.

The two leaders held a private meeting and then an expanded one attended by, among others, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Mossad Director David Barnea and National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi, and Chad’s Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif and Defense Minister Daoud Yaya Brahim.

In January 2019, Netanyahu and the previous Chadian president, Idriss Deby, agreed on the resumption of diplomatic relations at a ceremony in N’djamena. Chad had severed ties with Israel in 1972 due to pressure from Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi.