Israel and the Democratic Republic of Congo announced Thursday evening that Kinshasa will relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, in a joint statement. The move follows Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's announcement earlier today that an agreement had been reached to advance the embassy transfer.
The Democratic Republic of Congo will relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, Israel and the DRC confirmed in a joint statement Thursday evening. The announcement formalizes the agreement that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar had disclosed earlier in the day, following initial reports that the DRC was expected to become the 11th country to establish a diplomatic mission in Israel's capital.
The first indications emerged Thursday at 18:53 Jerusalem, when Israeli sources reported that the DRC, following a visit by President Félix Tshisekedi, was expected to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Within the same hour, Foreign Minister Sa'ar confirmed that an agreement had been reached, saying the DRC would advance the embassy move and that Israel would open an embassy in Kinshasa. The joint statement published later Thursday evening formalizes that commitment.
As The Zioneer reported in earlier coverage, the DRC is Africa's second-largest country, holds significant natural resources, and currently serves on the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council. The move continues a diplomatic effort that began with the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017. Israel has since worked to expand international recognition of Jerusalem, with the DRC expected to be the 11th country to establish a diplomatic mission there.
The timeline for the embassy relocation has not yet been specified. The joint statement did not provide a date for the transfer.
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