NAIROBI – The Democratic Republic of Congo and Israel have confirmed, in a joint statement, their intention to move the Congolese embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and open an Israeli diplomatic representation office in Kinshasa. The official announcement of the “relocation” comes just days after the visit of Congolese President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirming a project first emerged on the sidelines of the 2023 UN Assembly in New York and supported by years of close relations. Currently, the matter is in the midst of “consultations” between the two governments, but the direction seems set. “The State of Israel and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement reads, “will continue their exchanges through appropriate diplomatic channels in order to agree on the modalities for implementing these decisions.”
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The revival of the Israeli network in Africa
The acceleration in Kinshasa seals the face-to-face meeting on September 1 between the two leaders, against the backdrop of diplomatic work also marked by the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his African tour in November. Israel is seeking to cultivate and strengthen diplomatic relations on an African scale, a continent that has always maintained a certain political unity in support of the Palestinian cause. Almost all countries under the African Union umbrella formally recognize the state of Palestine, with the sole exceptions of Paul Biya’s Cameroon and Isaias Afwerki’s Eritrea. The African Union supports the two-state solution and has repeatedly reiterated its condemnation of the Netanyahu government’s actions, while a major continental player like South Africa has taken the lead in initiating a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
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Israel is trying to balance the trend by expanding a diplomatic network that already counts relations with about 40 countries and reviving economic ties. The Horn of Africa and East-Central Africa already host governments in diplomatic and commercial harmony with Israel, such as Kenya under William Ruto and its purchase of Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby (Spyder) air defense systems. The newly strengthened synergy with Kinshasa opens a new channel in the region, offering the Congolese government a foothold amid its political and military tensions with the pro-Rwandan M23 rebels and the Kigali government itself.
The country, home to 70% of global cobalt production, has agreed on a roadmap for implementing the peace agreement mediated in December 2025 by the USA and Qatar, which has mostly remained on paper since then. Regional nervousness is accompanied by internal tensions within the country, partly due to Tshisekedi’s plan to extend his presidency beyond the two-term limit expiring in 2028.
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