DR Congo joins countries pledging embassy move to Jerusalem

What the report says

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has renewed its pledge to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to Al Jazeera’s report published on 3 September 2026. The announcement followed a visit by President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi to Israel, after which the two countries said in a joint statement that they would take steps toward relocating the mission. The decision makes the DRC the latest country to signal support for an embassy move to the city.

Al Jazeera said the plan has been under discussion for several years. It dates back to a 2023 meeting between Tshisekedi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly in New York. The report also noted that Tshisekedi had previously outlined a plan to appoint an ambassador to Israel and open an economic section in Jerusalem while the main embassy remained in Tel Aviv. Israel and the DRC have since deepened ties, including a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Kinshasa in November, according to the article.

The embassy issue remains politically sensitive because most countries keep their missions near Tel Aviv, saying Jerusalem’s final status should be resolved through negotiations. Israel regards the whole city as its capital and has encouraged foreign embassies to move there, while Palestinians want occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. The article added that the move follows similar announcements by a small number of other governments, including the United States and several countries that have already shifted their embassies to Jerusalem.