The Democratic Republic of the Congo has revived plans to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, signaling a further step in Kinshasa’s efforts to deepen political, economic and security ties with Israel.
President Félix Tshisekedi discussed the move with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Jerusalem on September 1. A joint declaration issued after the meeting said the two countries would continue consultations on relocating the DRC’s diplomatic mission to Jerusalem, without setting a timetable for the move.
The announcement revives a commitment Tshisekedi first made in 2023, when he said the DRC would move its embassy to Jerusalem and Israel would establish an embassy in Kinshasa. That plan was never implemented. The latest declaration also calls for continued consultations on opening a resident Israeli embassy in Kinshasa, where Israel currently does not maintain a permanent diplomatic mission.
Bilateral relations have nevertheless been developing in other areas. In July, Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar signed memoranda on diplomatic training and political consultations between the two foreign ministries. Both sides also identified investment, agriculture, healthcare, education, innovation and emerging technologies as areas for expanded cooperation.
Security cooperation is another part of the relationship. Netanyahu and Tshisekedi agreed during their September meeting to strengthen economic and security ties, while Israel has also provided the DRC with three tons of medical assistance to support its response to the Ebola outbreak.
The Jerusalem decision carries significance beyond the bilateral relationship because the city remains one of the most sensitive issues in international diplomacy. The DRC would join a relatively small group of countries that have located or pledged to locate their embassies in Jerusalem, following the United States and several other states. The move would therefore represent a notable diplomatic choice for one of Africa’s largest countries.
For Kinshasa, the renewed push comes as Tshisekedi seeks stronger international partnerships while the DRC continues to confront instability in its eastern provinces. The government has been working to strengthen security relationships and attract investment and technology, making Israel a potentially useful partner across several sectors.
No date has yet been announced for the embassy relocation. The immediate significance of Tshisekedi’s visit is therefore less about a completed diplomatic move than about the decision to put the issue back on the bilateral agenda alongside broader efforts to expand DRC-Israel cooperation.
