Washington — Kazakhstan announced Thursday it will join the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic agreement originally signed between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries. This move is largely symbolic, aimed at supporting the initiative that became a key achievement of President Donald Trump's first term.
Kazakhstan has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since 1992, shortly after gaining independence following the Soviet Union's collapse. This contrasts with other Abraham Accords signatories, including Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates, which established relations with Israel as part of the accords.
Kazakhstan’s involvement is geographically distant from Israel compared to the other participating countries in the accords. Despite this, its participation highlights continued international support for the accord framework.
FILE - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Oct.
The announcement was first confirmed to The Associated Press by three anonymous U.S. officials who shared details of plans not yet publicly disclosed.
"Kazakhstan has had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1992," the officials noted.
Kazakhstan’s formal alignment with the Abraham Accords, though symbolic, reinforces global diplomatic efforts initiated during President Trump's administration to foster peace and cooperation in the Middle East.
Author's summary: Kazakhstan’s symbolic accession to the Abraham Accords emphasizes ongoing international engagement with the peace initiative led by former President Trump, despite already established ties with Israel.