​(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Sunday, 25 November 2018), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, welcomed the President of Chad, Idriss Déby.
 
Accompanying Chad President Deby were Foreign Minister Cherif Mahamat Zenet, Economy Minister Issa Doubragne, Head of the Presidential Cabinet for Civil Affairs Brahim Mahamat Djmaldine, President Deby's Defense and Security Adviser Djiddi Saleh Kedellaye, and other senior officials.
 
This is an historic visit, the first by a President of Chad to Israel since the establishment of the state. The visit comes against the background of the manifold diplomatic efforts led by Prime Minister Netanyahu in recent years. (Relations between the two countries were severed in 1972.)

Following are Prime Minister Netanyahu's remarks at the media statements with Chad President Deby:
 
"President Déby, welcome to Israel. Welcome to Jerusalem. This is the first official visit by the President of Chad to the State of Israel. It follows a very long hiatus in our relations.
 
Chad is a very important country. It's an important country in Africa. It's an important country for Israel. And I'm delighted that we are resuming our friendship. We never fully stopped our contacts as we spoke now but we are now expanding them at a very rapid rate.
 
And we wish to do so in all areas. First of all in fighting terrorism, which is a common goal of all countries. Give our peoples what they deserve: security, food, water, clean water, health, medicine, all the things that our cooperation can produce for the benefit of both our countries. Israel in fact was cooperating in this fashion with the countries of Africa in the 1960s and early 70s, especially in agriculture and water. This was discontinued and now it's flourishing back again.
 
In the last two years I've been, Mr. President as I told you, three times in Africa. East Africa and West Africa. Now I'm going to drop a big hint, I hope to come to the center of Africa. And I wish to bring with me Israeli entrepreneurs, Israeli experts, Israeli companies, everything that can improve the life of the peoples of Africa, which is something we believe in. Israel is coming back to Africa, Africa is coming back to Israel.
 
But I want to congratulate you Mr. President, on your leadership and on your statesmanship because I think you recognize change and you lead change.
 
A few minutes ago we discussed in my office the great changes that are taking place in the Arab world in its relations with Israel. And this was manifested in my recent visit in Oman with Sultan Qaboos. And there will be more such visits in Arab countries very soon. As a leader of an African country, an important African country, a majority of whose population is Muslim, you are coming to Israel to renew our friendship and our relationship. I think it is a testament of what is going to happen with other such countries in Africa as well, and I believe that you are paving the way for many others.
 
So in this spirit of friendship, renewed friendship, I want to welcome you to Israel and I want to tell you that we look forward to continuing our conversations this evening, tomorrow and in the coming years.
 
Again, thank you. Thank you for this important step and welcome to Jerusalem."