Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi last July, during the Israeli leader’s multi-nation trip to Africa. Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO.

JNS.org — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited on Monday to attend a major summit that will include the leaders of over two dozen African nations.

Netanyahu was formally asked to the conference during a meeting with Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, whose country is organizing and hosting the summit.

“There is a China-Africa conference, a France-Africa conference and Togo thinks we need an Africa-Israel meeting between the heads of state,” Dussey told the Jerusalem Post.

“We are 54 countries in Africa,” he added, “and we will invite 54 countries. We are expecting between 25-30 heads of states, not only from West Africa, but from all over Africa.”

Dussey said that several countries — including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda — have already expressed strong support for the concept.

Conference organizers said the summit will focus on “security, counter-terrorism, economic ties and cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health and education as well as new technology,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

Additionally, Togo said it will push for Israel to have observer status within the African Union, an international organization comprising of all the continent’s nations.

The summit will be held in Lome, the Togolese capital, from October 16-20.