United States State Department officials and representatives from the Abraham Accords member nations met in Manhattan on Thursday, September 24, 2026. This gathering marked the first official meeting of the group since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. The participating countries—the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco—were joined for the first time by officials from Kazakhstan.
The Abraham Accords established diplomatic normalization between Israel and several Muslim-majority nations. While momentum for expansion to other countries like Saudi Arabia existed prior to October 7, 2023, the subsequent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran had previously stalled formal progress. Under Secretary of Political Affairs Allison Hooker, who led the U.S. delegation, stated that the meeting signifies the accords are moving forward again.
The meeting was hosted by the N7 Foundation, a U.S.-based organization that has facilitated multilateral discussions among these nations since 2021. Jeffrey Talpins, founder of the N7 Foundation and chair of the meeting, stated that the current phase focuses on deepening existing relationships and identifying practical cooperation opportunities. Kazakhstan's involvement follows an announcement by President Trump in November 2025 regarding the country's intent to join the accords.
The resumption of these meetings involves multiple nations and potential regional trade. The N7 Foundation and participating diplomats described the accords as a mechanism for creating tangible economic opportunities and regional connectivity. Under Secretary Hooker noted that the effort is being prioritized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, the White House Special Envoy for Peace Missions.
For the international community, the meeting sets a precedent for maintaining multilateral agreements despite ongoing regional conflict. The effects could include renewed interest from other Muslim-majority countries that had paused normalization talks after October 2023. What happens next depends on the formalization of Kazakhstan's entry; President Trump previously indicated that a signing ceremony would be announced to make the country's membership official, though a specific date for that event has not yet been reported.