Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic pact brokered by the United States to normalize relations between Israel and Muslim-majority nations, in a strategic move intended to curry favor with Washington.

Astanas decision on November 6 is largely symbolic -- Kazakhstan has long recognized Israel and maintained diplomatic ties with the country since gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

But joining the Abraham Accords, a hallmark achievement of US President Donald Trumps first term in office, puts Kazakhstan at the center of a new push by the White House to reinvigorate the foreign policy initiative.

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Expanding The Abraham Accords

The Abraham Accords were designed to bolster cooperation between Israel and the Muslim world, with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco signing the agreement in 2020 to normalize their relations.

The Trump administration is looking to expand the initiative, and it will be a focus of a planned visit to Washington on November 18 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Kazakhstan, the largest and wealthiest country in Central Asia, will become the first country in that region to join the accords. The move expands the diplomatic agreement from the Middle East and North Africa to Central Asia.

Our anticipated accession to the Abraham Accords represents a natural and logical continuation of Kazakhstans foreign policy course -- grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability, a statement by the Kazakh government said.

For oil-rich Kazakhstan, a longtime ally of Moscow and a deepening partner of Beijing, joining the Abraham Accords is seen as an opportunity to partner with the United States.