Netanyahu thanks African nations for their ‘great friendship’

At the celebration after the inauguration of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a keynote address and promised the Israel will work with Nairobi to fight terrorism. “We believe in Kenya,” he added. “We believe in our friendship.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a keynote address at the celebration following the inauguration ceremony of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday. During the speech, Netanyahu pledged that Israel will work with Kenya and the other African nations to fight terrorism and improve the lives of their people.

“I want you to know that Israel is your partner,” he said. “We believe in Africa. We believe in Kenya. We believe in our friendship. This is something that we translate into actual projects.”

“We would like to work with you and with every one of your countries to electrify Africa,” he said. “We believe in Africa. So, for every, every one of your initiatives, there will be an initiative on our part to seize the future, to make life better and safer for your people. It’s good for you, it’s good for us, it’s good for Africa.”

Netanyahu at the celebration Photo Credit: Haim Zach/GPO

“Now there is a challenge,” he added. “The challenge that we face is also security. There is a savage disease. It rampages so many countries. Boko-Haram, A-Shabab, the awful jihadists in the Sinai. This is a threat to all of us, and I believe that we can cooperate with other countries between us and with others. And if we work together we will defeat the barbarians. Our people deserve better, we can provide it for them.”

Watch: Netanyahu's speech

Netanyahu highlighted that his trip to Nairobi was his third visit to Africa in the past year and a half. “We believe in the future of Africa,” he stated. “We love Africa and I would like very much, not only to cooperate on the individual basis with each of your countries, with Kenya and with each of your countries, but also with the African Union. And I, I hope that we will all find a way to have Israel become an observer status in the African Union because we can help, we can not only observe, we can help build together a better future for Africa. This is our goal and I thank you. I thank you all for your great friendship.”