Israel has appointed career diplomat Kobi Shoshani as its resident ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking a step toward restoring a permanent Israeli diplomatic presence in Kinshasa as bilateral relations deepen.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar approved the opening of the Israeli embassy in Kinshasa and Shoshani’s appointment on October 4, according to Israel National News. The move follows renewed high-level engagement between the two countries and plans to expand cooperation in several strategic sectors.
On September 1, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. Discussions with Netanyahu covered security, defense, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and advanced technologies, according to the Congolese presidency.
Diplomatic presence in Kinshasa
In a joint declaration issued on September 3, the two governments said they would continue consultations on opening a resident Israeli embassy in Kinshasa and relocating the DRC’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The statement did not specify a timetable or confirm that the arrangements had been completed.
Shoshani’s appointment represents progress on the Israeli side of that process. Israel had previously maintained a non-resident ambassador accredited to the DRC from Luanda, Angola, alongside an honorary consulate in Kinshasa, according to the Congolese Press Agency.
Security and technology cooperation
The diplomatic rapprochement also builds on agreements signed on July 27 covering diplomatic training, agriculture, health care and technology. The September talks broadened the agenda to include security and defense, as well as infrastructure and energy.
Africa Intelligence reported that the renewed relationship could advance Kinshasa’s interests in intelligence, cybersecurity and presidential protection. These specific objectives, however, were not detailed in the publicly available joint declaration, and the scope of any related arrangements remains unclear.
For the DRC, closer engagement with Israel could broaden its diplomatic and technical partnerships. The next stage will depend on how both governments implement their commitments, including the planned relocation of the Congolese embassy and the development of practical cooperation in security and other sectors.
