MWE Correspondent
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has announced plans to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that would make it the 11th country to establish its diplomatic mission in the city.
The announcement followed a meeting between DRC President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on September 1, 2026. The two leaders agreed to continue consultations on the relocation of the Congolese embassy, alongside plans for Israel to open a resident embassy in Kinshasa, the DRC capital.
The decision revives a commitment first announced in 2023, when Tshisekedi and Netanyahu agreed that the DRC would move its embassy to Jerusalem once Israel established an embassy in Kinshasa.
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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the development, saying the relocation would increase the number of foreign embassies in Jerusalem to 11. However, officials have not announced a specific timetable for the move, with both governments expected to continue diplomatic consultations on its implementation.
The embassy issue carries significant diplomatic and political weight because Jerusalem remains at the centre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel considers Jerusalem its capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state. Most countries have therefore maintained their embassies in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem.
During his visit, Tshisekedi also held talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in areas including agriculture and food security, water, healthcare, technology and innovation, security, training and investment.
The planned embassy relocation is expected to further strengthen diplomatic ties between Kinshasa and Jerusalem, while potentially giving Israel greater diplomatic support for its position on Jerusalem’s status.
